Fortunate Son
by MidKnight Rider
Summary: SG1 learns firsthand about the consequences of Jack's time on Edora. Takes place between the beginning of Season 4 and Season 9.
1. Chapter 1

Jack's training included the ability to keep things to himself, even under extreme torture, even under the most extreme circumstances. He knew how to survive the worst interrogation methods. Physical pain was something he could set aside when the situation called for it.

There was a different kind of pain associated with keeping a secret from his team. It was something that weighted his soul; especially when it was a secret he really _could_ tell them and he had to wrestle almost daily with the need to tell them.

There had been times when he was so fiercely proud of the three of them, so certain of their utter devotion to him and in his unspoken and unconditional love for them that he had been _this_ close to just spitting it out.

_I have a son….._

Four small words with so much meaning, so much impact, that it scared the shit out of him to even consider saying them out loud. It wasn't like every engineer and miner from the SGC on Edora hadn't figured it out. It was just that his own team didn't know.

Jarrett was safe on Edora. For over a year, Jack had not doubted that even for a moment and he had seen the boy four times while helping Col. Ross and the Army Corp of Engineers to set up the mining operation in the hills just outside of town. Jarrett was loved. He was _adored_ by his mother and his brother and his large extended family. As one of the first children born after the tragedy of the last fire rain he was a symbol of hope and the future.

Then, yesterday, the message had come from Ross. Within the report about the hurricane they had suffered on Edora, the details of what they had lost and the request for material and personnel to help rebuild there had been a private message for Jack.

Laira was dead. Edora had suffered a major hurricane and flood and she had died in a rescue attempt.

It was so much like something she would do that Jack's heart had ached all the more for her, even though he was frustrated and impotently furious with her.

_Christ, woman, what __were__ you thinking? You have a child…_

He had grieved on his own at home the previous night over a six pack. Considering how close he had just come to dying himself in a Russian sub at the mercy of an implacable foe…

The next morning he had crawled out of bed, lingered over leaving the house, rolled into the SGC an hour late and dragged his sorry ass to Daniel's office.

Daniel looked up when he appeared in the doorway, away from the computer screen and the book open in his lap. His expression was welcoming, guileless, with the perpetual curiosity that was as much a part of him as his glasses and his stubborn streak.

Jack's steps faltered and he stopped on the verge of coming in. Daniel caught it immediately. His expression changed to concern. He sat up like a lion that had been dozing in the sun but suddenly sensed danger.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Got a minute?" Jack asked, almost in the same moment that Daniel spoke so that their words tumbled over each other.

Daniel reached for the mouse, saved his work, closed the screen and set the book on the corner of the desk.

"Sure," he said, warily.

Jack walked in, stopped long enough to climb up on one of the stools at his work table and didn't bother clearing away the clutter. He regarded Daniel for a long time and Daniel gazed back, waiting.

Why Daniel? Why start with Daniel? The answer to that was as hard to accept as it was to voice.

Daniel already didn't trust him. Not like Teal'c and Carter did. Three words would always prevent that – _Abydos, nuclear device….._

Daniel didn't follow Jack out of sense of loyalty or because of military discipline. Daniel didn't follow Jack at all, even when he was taking the team's six. Daniel walked at Jack's side and questioned everything he did.

Which Jack needed more than he would ever admit. Daniel wanted Jack's trust but it wasn't something he was ready to give unconditionally to Jack.

And Jack did trust Daniel, in all matters that concerned the heart and soul.

Jack took a long breath that felt like he was inhaling smoke and told Daniel, slowly, about the message from Col. Ross, the hurricane, the damage to the mining camp and the village.

"What do you need us to do?" Daniel asked when Jack paused for a moment. It was clear he was about to make suggestions or jump to conclusions. But Jack held up a hand to stop him. Daniel cut himself off with a sharp intake of breath. "What?" He demanded.

Then Jack told him about the child. His son. Jarrett. The son he had known about for almost two years and never told them about.

"How often do you see him?" His eyes were studying something on his desk but Daniel's feigned casualness didn't fool Jack one bit. He was fighting hard to stay rational and remain calm.

But Jack could see all of Daniel's childhood abandonment issues surging forward. For the first time Jack wondered if telling Daniel had been a good idea and if their improbable friendship could survive Jack's lapse in judgment.

"As often as I can," Jack said, "Come on, Daniel. You're a smart guy. Did you think I really took such an active personal interest in the naquadah mining on Edora?"

Daniel looked back at him then and his expression had hardened considerably. His gaze had gone intensely blue and reflected the disappointment Jack had put there.

"I thought you were going to see Laira," he said, accusingly. "I didn't want to interfere with that so I never asked to go with you or asked what you were doing there. I guess now I know."

Jack didn't flinch outwardly but his soul cringed as if it had been whipped. He suddenly realized how much he wanted Daniel's absolution and if there was enough penance in the galaxy to obtain it.

"He's always had everything he needs, Daniel."

"Except his father," Daniel shot back.

The emotional blow made Jack's hands shake for a moment. He sought the smart-ass comeback that had served him so long it was now instinct. But he couldn't find one.

Then Daniel slouched. His shoulders slumped forward and his eyes closed for a moment. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger for a moment. When he was done he tossed the glasses on the desk, as if all of this was going to be easier if he couldn't quite see Jack clearly.

"And like everything else you chose not to trust me with this," he said.

"Daniel…." Jack hadn't bargained at all on this making Daniel hurt. He hadn't given it a thought.

_You can be such a shit, O'Neill…_

"Why tell me now?" Daniel asked, interrupting Jack's thoughts.

"I want you to go with me, to the funeral and….. I want you to meet Jarrett."

"Jarrett?" Daniel asked, "That's his name?"

"Yes, though I've always called him Jett."

Something in Daniel's expression softened and Jack wasn't sure why. But he had clearly just said something right. He seized on it like a drowning man grabbing a piece of driftwood.

"So," he said and now the feigned casualness was his. "You'll go with me? To the funeral?"

Daniel shook his head but not in refusal, in exasperation.

"Jack," he said and Jack almost broke at the sound.

It was chiding forgiveness. He knew a profound sense of relief at the knowledge.

Daniel wasn't deserting him. Daniel would still walk at Jack's side and question everything he did.

And Jack had been an ass to ever doubt that.

(0)


	2. Chapter 2

The devastation to the village was hard to accept. Jack managed to keep a calm professional expression on his face. Daniel's shocked expression spoke for both of them.

"It's not as bad as villages we've seen burned to the ground by some System Lords," Jack told him.

That was true. The physical damage could be repaired. The emotional damage was extreme but survivable.

The damage assessment teams from the SCG had arrived within hours of Col. Ross's report. Tents had already sprung up to house those who had lost everything. Daniel and Jack had arrived with additional medical personnel and more MALPs full of emergency food and supplies.

Jack had time to see to the dispersing of those resources and to greet old friends, to find out who was hurt and who needed what before they had to leave for the funeral. Daniel observed him with the people of Edora for the first time since they had rescued him. Jack had been a little 'off' then, not quite himself, utterly shocked by the reality of seeing him and Sam and Teal'c and knowing he could go home. Now Daniel got a glimpse of what Jack's life among the Edorans had really been like. He had been a part of this community, existing in a kind of self-imposed solitude while still being one of them.

Daniel wasn't surprised. Jack did the same thing with the SGC.

Laira's funeral was held jointly with the five others who had perished in the storm. The entire population was there mourning the passing of their loved ones. Garan and Naytha were beyond the comfort of mere words though Jack offered what he could during the ceremony to send the mother of his child to the Ancestors.

"What we have once loved we can never lose," he said and Daniel watched him carefully, knowing he was thinking not just of Laira but of Charlie and to a certain extent Sara. "What we love becomes part of us forever. Laira was the kindest and gentlest soul I have ever known. That is how I will remember her. Forever."

Daniel fought tears as his thoughts went instantly to Sha're. He lingered there in bittersweet memory for a moment before banishing all his old grief back into the shadows of his soul.

After the ceremony they had all gone back to the community house where several of the teenagers had been left to care for the children. As they got closer they could hear the voice of a young girl saying,

"Jarrett! Get down from there before you get hurt!"

Daniel had been off world with Jack too many times over too many years not to automatically speed up when he did. So when Jack started running Daniel did too. They burst through the door to find a room of several small children and their older caregivers playing on the floor. But in the center of the room was a table and standing on the table was a small boy with a headful of unruly dark curls, huge brown eyes and a grin that could have powered the Stargate. He looked to be about a year and half old.

The boy took one look at Jack and cried in a genuinely delighted voice,

"Jack!"

Then to Daniel's horror he launched himself off the table and into the air. With reflexes honed in Special Forces and three years in the SGC Jack surged forward and caught the little ball of energy in his arms. Tiny arms wound around his neck as Jack said,

"Whoa there, buddy. Slow down a minute."

A girl Daniel recognized from the evacuation two years before as Keisha hurried over with a worried, apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We can't keep him off the furniture. All he wants to do is climb and jump off things. He seems to think he can fly."

Daniel almost rolled his eyes. Okay, no DNA test needed there. That had 'O'Neill' stamped all over it.

But Daniel was struck by the heartfelt cascade of emotions that crossed Jack's face. He had never seen so much happen on that face in such a short amount of time. Jack closed his eyes for a moment and hugged tight, until Jarrett squirmed and Jack put him down again.

Jarrett took off across the room in the direction of another boy about the same age who was playing with a red wooden ball.

"Mine!" Jarrett shrieked.

"Jett!" Jack said but it had little effect on the boy's momentum.

Another of the caregivers, a boy - Dathan, Daniel remembered – jumped up and caught Jarrett just before he would have barreled into the other child.

Jack was a half a step behind them. He reached out and took his son again, holding him firmly in spite of the squirming.

"Mine!" Jett screamed again, more vehemently.

"No, it's not. It's your friend's turn with the ball," Jack answered calmly.

Daniel was staring at Jack blankly. When Jack saw him he shrugged.

"Toddler Rules of Acquisition," he said by way of explanation.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"If I had it once it's mine. If someone else has it it's mine. If I see it it's mine," Jack said all the while juggling the wriggling dynamo who was determined to get back on the floor and get 'his' ball.

"I see," was all Daniel could think of to say.

"Come on," he said.

Daniel followed him back out the door. Garan and Naytha followed them.

Distracted by all there was to see outdoors, Jett settled down and seemed content in his father's arms. At least for now.

"My mother was always the only one who could really get him to mind," Garan said, with sad apology.

"Oh, he's fine," Jack said, dismissing it. "He's a little boy." He gave Jett a look full of affection, "Aren't you?"

Jett laughed and curled up into Jack's chest and shoulder as if he did it all the time.

"The house is still standing, high and dry," Garan went on, "Please feel free to make use of it for the time you're here."

Garan and Naytha had married the previous month and moved into their own place. Jack had attended the wedding. It was the last time he had seen Laira.

Daniel glanced at Jack. They had agreed to stay for a few days, until the damage assessments were done. There was a question in Jack's eyes. _Is staying at the house okay?_

Daniel shrugged and nodded.

"That would be nice, Garan. Thank you," Jack said.

"We thought you would," Naytha spoke up. "There are fresh linens and food and oil for the lamps. Please let me know if you need anything else."

They walked back to the edge of the town center together. Jack promised that they would come to the funeral feast later that evening and then they separated to go to their respective houses.

They fell into the lockstep that came naturally to them after hundreds of missions with Jack still carrying Jett. After a few hundred yards Jett said,

"I want Mama."

Jack's hand moved up to caress the head full of dark curls, ruffling the baby-fine hair. Daniel's heart clenched tight and he ground his teeth together against the flash of pain, against the memory of being a little boy, lost and bewildered, saying the same thing.

"I know you do, buddy," he said, quietly. "But she's not here anymore."

Daniel held his breath waiting for Jett to say something more but the little boy subsided finally, still curled in the safety of Jack's body.

A moment later Jett started to cry. Jack hugged him tighter and, eventually, Daniel reached out and gently stroked the little boys back.

Between the two of them they tried to console a confused little boy through the kind of loss they both knew from experience was completely inconsolable.

(0)


	3. Chapter 3

It was hard for Daniel to reconcile the tough-as-nails-savior-of-Earth-Air-Force- Special-Forces-Colonel-O'Neill with the man currently living in a small house on Edora with him.

This Jack changed diapers and cut food into small manageable bits, dried tears, set boundaries and woke Daniel up in the morning wrestling much too loudly with his son, laughter seeping through the thin walls though they were in the next room. This Jack was patient with temper tantrums and sat on the floor building towers with blocks only to knock them down a moment later just to hear Jett shrieking with laughter. This Jack rocked his son to sleep and brought him into bed to soothe nightmares.

Two days after the funeral Daniel knew an entirely different Jack O'Neill, having found a side of him Daniel hadn't known existed. He had thought that he understood what the loss of Charlie had done to Jack. Watching him now, with Jarrett, Daniel realized he'd never had a clue.

They discovered that Keisha had not been joking about Jett's love of climbing. Both men were constantly chasing him off chairs and tables. When Daniel said, with all seriousness,

"Next time we come we should bring a jungle gym and build it for him,"

Jack had stared at him, stunned at first and then with a soft look of profound gratitude.

The truth was that Jett had wormed his way into Daniel's heart within a few hours of meeting. He couldn't forget the moment Jack had thrust Jett into his arms and said,

"_Hold_ him for a minute, would ya?"

Jack had been trying to get something out of his backpack, something that turned out to be a pop up Sesame Street toy for Jett. But the child had been intent on climbing into the pack himself and was hindering Jack's efforts.

Daniel's arms had tightened instinctively and he could still feel the small body, warm and snug, and he could still see the large brown eyes looking solemnly into his….

Right before Jett had reached up and nearly yanked Daniel's glasses off his face. Daniel had rescued them just before Jett would have thrown them across the room. He folded them and slipped them into his back pocket and told Jett, "No," in what he hoped was a stern voice.

But it was hard to stay upset with the little guy. Even with his vision blurred and in the face of Jett's unquestionable thirst for action, Daniel couldn't argue the strong physical resemblance to Jack.

Having Jett forced on him had been one thing. But that first evening when Jack was trying to make them something for dinner, Jett had been following Jack around on his short sturdy legs, babbling and holding up one of Edora's rare books.

The Edorans had printing press capabilities that were mostly devoted to preserving their spiritual beliefs and history. But a handful of books existed just for the children and Jett had a copy, thanks to the fact that his older brother was one of the men who worked the press.

"Read?" Jett kept asking Jack.

"Can't, buddy," Jack answered, "Go ask Daniel."

Daniel had been in the chair by the fire and he looked up startled.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you."

"Why me?"

"You're the only one who can read it. It's in Edoran."

Daniel had processed that as Jett climbed up into his lap. The Stargate functioned to translate the spoken word with an ease of technology that even Sam didn't quite understand. But the written word remained the domain of the SGC linguists.

"Read?" Jett asked, looking up at Daniel hopefully.

"Say please," Jack had said.

"Peese?"

As if Daniel needed to be begged to answer a request to read something – anything – to anyone…..

"Okay, let's see it," he said, reaching for the book and settling the little boy on his lap.

So he had read to Jack's son by the fire, enchanted by the rapt look on Jett's face. His brown eyes had stared at the pictures while his chubby fists put handfuls of Cheerios into his mouth from the bowl Jack had given him. Daniel had fallen completely in love with a child in a way he had not expected to, ever, in his life. That Jack loved Jett was completely obvious. That Garan and Naytha loved Jett was also obvious; and they were also afraid that Jack was going to take Jett away through the Stone Ring and they would never see him again.

Daniel himself wasn't sure what Jack intended to do now; and he was trying hard not to inflict his own neurotic childhood on the situation.

It was very hard to know what the right thing to do was. At least for Daniel.

Now they were facing their last night here. He and Jack were leaving in the morning. Jett had been on the run for most of the evening and then crawled into Daniel's lap to hear the story for the one hundredth time before slipping down and seeking Jack's lap to fall sound asleep.

Typically, Daniel didn't want to dance around the questions facing Jack in the morning.

"So what are you going to do?"

Jack cast him a long, poker-faced look.

"What do you mean, what am I gonna do?" he said, "I'm not going to abandon him if that's what you're asking. I didn't do that when his mother was alive so I'm not going to do it now. But this is his home, Daniel. These are his roots and what he knows. I'm not going to take him away from all this. Not now."

Daniel seized on the last two words.

"Not now?" he repeated.

"No, not now. Maybe one day, when he's ready….."

"He calls you Jack. He doesn't know you're his father."

"He will. One day."

"That's the second time you've said that – one day."

Jack's eyes narrowed.

"It's not the same thing, Daniel," he said softly.

"Same thing as what?"

"What happened to you. Jett's lost his mother. He hasn't lost his father."

Jack paused, stared into the fire for a moment and Daniel got the feeling he was very much wishing he had a nice cold beer in his hand. Daniel waited. He often poked and prodded and annoyed Jack into a discussion of emotional things. He knew the value of silence when Jack was on the verge of offering them willingly.

"If that ever happens….." Jack began, "If he does lose me, now he'll have you."

Daniel was rarely speechless but this closed his throat and left him without words. When Daniel didn't say anything Jack waved a hand in the air as if his meaning should be completely obvious.

"You're literally the only one on Earth who knows about Jett, Daniel and I would rather keep it that way."

Daniel didn't ask him why. They had both lost too much and been threatened too often to not know the value of keeping their loved ones secret. He was used to manipulating information, drawing conclusions from all the facts at hand, creating the big picture from the small details.

"You're not going to tell Teal'c and Sam?" Daniel asked.

There was a long – long – pause broken only by the crackling of the fire.

"Not yet," Jack said finally.

Daniel nodded. Teal'c would understand it and accept it with the same unruffled calm that had enabled him to assimilate into a new society and way of life. He was military. He'd 'get it' no matter when Jack told him.

Sam on the other hand….. Daniel wasn't sure what Jack was going to do about Sam. She was angry with him about Edora. Not that she'd ever act on it but it hurt her that Jack seemed to have given up on being found.

_We don't leave anyone behind….._

He had taught them that. Had he really thought they had forgotten? It was possible that Sam would think Jett was the reason Jack wanted to stay on Edora. Things between Jack and Sam did not need to get more complicated.

But at the moment the big picture here was the small person sleeping in Jack's lap. The big picture was what was best for Jett.

Daniel leaned forward, rested his elbows on his legs and clasped his hands in front of him.

"So. One day you intend to take him back to Earth with you?"

"When the timing is right," Jack said, "Right now…. What's he going to do on Earth, Daniel? Spend long hours in daycare while I'm off world trying to save us from Goa'uld domination? He's safe here. He's with family here. They've never even heard of the Goa'uld here and we can protect them. He's far better off with Garan and Naytha than stuck with just the likes of me."

Daniel didn't disagree with the assessment of what Jett's life on Earth would be like; nor did he like the idea of the little boy being ripped out of everything he had ever known. That scenario was much too familiar. Yes, the argument could be made that Jett was too little to even remember Edora if he was taken away now. Without someone to tell him about Laira he would eventually lose all memory of his mother. Taking him wasn't fair, to him or to the family who loved him.

Daniel swallowed the irrational need he had for Jett to be with his father and accepted that this was best.

"Do you mind if I visit him even when you can't?" Daniel asked. He looked slightly concerned that Jack would say no. There was wistfulness to his tone.

But Jack only looked startled. "No, I don't mind. But why?"

Daniel shrugged in feigned nonchalance. "You said 'one day' so….. One day he's going to need to know about Earth, about the culture, the language. He'll need to know about cars and planes and Star Wars and Transformers. And McDonalds. He'll need to know how to read. I'd like to do that. I'd like to bring him some books. Stuff like that."

Jack's face was calm, concentrated and thoughtful. He looked down at Jett and stroked a hand over the thick curls and said, without looking up,

"That would be good."

"Yeah?" Daniel asked.

Now Jack did look up and the profound gratitude in his eyes was the closest thing to a verbal 'thank you' that Daniel was ever going to get.

And Daniel knew that.

"Yeah," Jack said, softly, "Just don't try to turn him into a science geek. Okay?"

Daniel grinned a little. "I doubt that's possible. He's way too much like his father," he said. "But I promise."

(0)


	4. Chapter 4

**This is a tag to Sacrifices. The opening dialogue is not mine. It is part of the conversation Jack and Sam have in the hallway.**

**(0)**

Striding down the hall in step with Carter, Jack knew that he had to do something or start shooting things.

Teal'c's attitude about Ry'ac's wedding had worn away Jack's last nerve.

"Have you seen Teal'c?" He asked Sa,

Drily Sam replied, "I think he's locked himself in his room."

"That chicken," O'Neill growled.

He stopped and blocked Sam from moving forward again.

"I'm going off world –"

"-Sir?"

"I'm going to tell Walter if there's an emergency he's to find you or Daniel." Jack turned and started walking again.

Sam hurried to catch up.

"Can I ask where you're going?"

"No," Jack answered, shortly.

From the look on his face, Sam knew better than to ask any more.

(0)

Jack hammered a fist against Teal'c door and shouted,

"T! Open this door or I swear to god I will go get the C4!"

The calm voice on the other side didn't really help Jack's temper but he managed to rein it in.

"It is open."

Jack tried the handle and winced a little when it clicked open without a fight. There was a veritable inferno of candles ablaze in the room and it smelled strongly of vanilla. The light and shadows cast on the wall flickered as Jack pushed the door shut.

Teal'c inclined his head in greeting. But the slow dip of his head seemed not a gracious, thoughtful gesture. It looked more like strained, taut muscles surrendering at last to gravity.

Jack studied him for a moment: the only other true military member of his team, the one who understood that sometimes you gave orders you'd rather not give, that sometimes you followed orders you would rather not follow.

The only member of his team who bore the same scars Jack did – the hidden ones, the ones that marred the lightness of one's soul.

"You got a couple of hours to go somewhere with me?" Jack asked, without preamble.

"I am currently unoccupied," Teal'c responded.

He was sitting cross legged on his floor in utter stillness. The peace formerly attained by kel-no-reem seemed to have eluded him, however. Jack could tell from long association that while Teal'c's body was at rest, his mind still raced.

Jack knew that Teal'c was frustrated with Ry'ac. But he suspected that some of the Jaffa's disquiet was being caused by Ishta – whose presence seemed to drive Teal'c mad in one way or the other.

No question about it. The man needed to get out from under the mountain for a while.

And he wasn't the only one.

Teal'c stood without wasted effort and began blowing out candles. Jack still didn't understand how he had avoided setting off the smoke alarms in the SGC for the last eight years.

"May I ask where we are going, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked as he followed Jack out into the corridor.

"You'll see," Jack answered.

(0)

In the past two years Garan and Naytha had come to really believe that Jack had no intention of taking Jarrett away. They greeted him with genuine happiness after opening the door to his knock, asked how he was and then Naytha had pointed to the door of the room that was Jarrett's.

"He's napping but he's been down for a while if you want to wake him."

Jack gave her an uncertain look.

"You're sure?"

"Of course," Naytha smiled, "He'll love that you're the one waking him up."

Still completely in the dark about the purpose of their unscheduled trip to Edora, Teal'c followed Jack. The curtains were drawn against the midday sun. But enough light seeped into the room as Jack gently pushed open the wood door for Teal'c to see a small bed with a small sleeping form in it.

It was the last thing he had expected. But he was too seasoned and well trained to react.

"Jett," Jack said, softly. He reached out and ruffled tousled dark curls with his fingertips, "Wake up, buddy."

He didn't have to say another thing. Jett woke up, blinked, yawned, stretched and then focused on the man kneeling beside his bed.

"Jack!" The little boy sat up eagerly and twined long thin arms around Jack's neck.

"Hi, buddy."

"Did Daniel come with you?"

"He had to stay and do something important for me so that I could come see you."

Jack moved to sit on the bed and Jett climbed into his lap. The boy reached up and took Jack's baseball cap and put it on his own head backwards. Jack grinned at him for a moment and Jett grinned back before asking seriously

"Will he come next time?"

"He comes every chance he gets, Jett."

"Did you come to take me up in the airplane this time?"

"Umm, no, that's still going to wait a few years. I came so you could meet a new friend. Jett, this is Teal'c."

Seated comfortably and safely in his father's arms, Jett regarded Teal'c solemnly from dark chocolate eyes.

"Hi," he said, finally.

Teal'c inclined his head with the same regal gravity he used to greet visiting dignitaries and off world royalty.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Jett," the big Jaffa said.

Not quite sure what to do with Teal'c, Jett turned back to Jack.

"Can we go to the lake?"

"No, but we can go to the playground. Do you want to do that?"

Jett's face lit up.

"Guess what? Guess what? I can climb the rock wall! Garan taught me."

"Well then I gotta see that!" Jack said as if it was the most amazing thing he had ever heard, "Let's go then."

They waited for Jett to get his shoes and promised Naytha to be back before dinner, and then promised that they would stay for said dinner.

Jack carried Jett outside because the boy seemed reluctant to let go of him.

"Jack! Jack! Listen, listen! A B C D….."

And Jack dutifully listened all the way to Z, not commenting on the missing L M or N and acknowledging that J was, indeed, for Jett.

"When did you get so smart?" Jack asked.

"Daniel taught me. He said it's because I need to know how to read when you take me to your world. I can 'most write my name too!"

Then Jett began to squirm. Jack put him down in the dusty street and the little boy skipped happily ahead of them. The silence between Teal'c and Jack stretched into the horizon for a long time until Teal'c finally said,

"The boy is….."

"My son," Jack acknowledged.

The statement earned him an inquisitive sideways look that had weight and the energy of a staff blast behind it.

"He appears to be about five years of age by Tauri reckoning. Laira's?" Teal'c surmised.

"Yes."

"She died."

"Yes."

All the questions hung in the air unspoken but understood. Jack took them one at a time, as if he had a mental checklist. "I've always known about him. I don't regret him. I won't uproot him from Edora and Daniel is the only one who knows about him. Besides you. Now. Oh, and he doesn't know I'm his father."

"Indeed," Teal'c rumbled, "Is there a purpose to telling me about the boy at this time?"

He sounded suspicious. Jack hedged.

"Let's just go to the playground for a while."

Teal'c appeared ready to argue, which surprised Jack. But at that moment Jett crouched down in the dirt and said,

"Jack! Jack come see! I found a rock."

Rocks in the dirt of Edora was hardly anything unusual. But Jack went to investigate as if he had been summoned by an excited SGC team.

"Whatcha got, buddy?"

"Look! This rock is all white," Jett said.

Jack hunkered down beside him and studied the small white pebble in the boy's hand.

"Is it special?" Jett asked.

"I don't know," Jack began.

He was surprised when Teal'c interrupted him. "It is special because you noticed it, Jarrett."

Teal'c voice was soft, welcoming, even admiring.

Jett looked up, knocking Jack's baseball cap askew so that he had to peer out from under it. "But is it special because it's white?"

"Of course," Teal'c said, "It is a rare prize in a world of brown and gray. You should keep it. Of all the people who have walked this road, you alone have noticed it."

Jett turned it over and over in his hand for a moment and then stood up. He offered it to Teal'c.

"I want you to have it," he said.

Jack waited uncertainly to see what Teal'c would do. He was certain the Jaffa would decline, claim that it was Jett's treasure. But Teal'c's huge hand reached out and took the tiny offering with all the solemn grace required in a state ceremony.

"I am honored," he said. The incline of his head was dignified. Jett's smile outshone the sun for a moment.

Then he grabbed Jack's hand and pulled.

"Let's go!" he said.

"Lead on," Jack answered.

Jett ran ahead again.

"That was ….. nice," Jack said.

There was a hint of a smile pulling at Teal'c's mouth, something unheard of when they had first started together eight years before.

"It will help keep away tigers," he said.

Jack openly stared at him for a moment and Teal'c said,

"Do you see any?"

"Tigers?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Then it must be working," Teal'c said.

Jack shook his head for a moment and then they both hurried to catch up with Jett.

"And here I didn't think you ever paid attention to the Simpsons," Jack commented.

Teal'c didn't comment. But Jack swore he was laughing.

(0)

Teal'c references this exchange from the Simpsons episode "Much Apu About Nothing":

Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.

Lisa: That's specious reasoning, Dad.

Homer: Thank you, dear.

Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.

Homer: Oh, how does it work?

Lisa: It doesn't work.

Homer: Uh-huh.

Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.

Homer: Uh-huh.

Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?


	5. Chapter 5

The playground had been started just after the Fire Rain. It was easy to requisition a few more boards and screws and pipes as part of the effort to help Edora rebuild. It had gotten decidedly larger in the rebuilding after the hurricane. Add in the things that Daniel and Jack had donated over the years – a climbing mountain, basketball court, an assortment of balls and a tire swing among others – and it was now a wonderful place for the next generation of Edorans to play and thrive.

Jack concentrated only on his son for a while. He pushed the tire swing until Jett ran off to climb the mountain for the twelfth time, insisting all the while that Jack watch him. He started a game of tag and wasn't at all surprised when Teal'c finally joined in. Of course they let Jett win for a while until Jack tagged him, caught him in his arms and tossed the boy in the air a few times. He stopped when Jett was helpless with laughter, giggling and breathless.

Jack put Jett back on his feet and said, "Go play in the sand box for a while. You've worn me out." He and Teal'c sank down into the grass on the edge of the playground and simply watched Jett digging a trench for a while.

"Look, T," Jack finally began, "I already said that I wouldn't try to tell you how to raise your kid. But Rya'c isn't really a kid anymore. I mean, really he's 'raised' when you think about it and you and Bra'tac did a _great_ job. But I thought maybe it was time for you to meet Jett and….."

Teal'c interrupted, "Remember a time when I could make Rya'c smile just by tossing him in the air."

Jack regarded Teal'c thoughtfully. Over the years he had learned to know his team by their presence in the air around him. He could almost feel the Jaffa thinking.

"Something like that," he said by way of acknowledgment. "I just think that love isn't really a good reason to wreck your relationship with your son.

Teal'c's eyes slid sideways. Jack waited, knowing that trying to strong arm Teal'c into talking was the very definition of pointless. But it seemed that for once the Jaffa felt the need to fill the silence; or perhaps just a need to make Jack understand.

"I am not concerned that they are well matched. But love can often lead the heart to foolish decisions; and they are very young," he said.

Jack's lips twitched. "Someone very wise once told me the very young do no always do what they are told."

Teal'c's expression soften, almost into a half-smile. Jack couldn't help but remember a time when it had been a rare accomplishment to get so much as a raised eyebrow from Teal'c, much less a near smile.

They had come a long way in eight years.

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

"I know it can be hard to look back after a hundred years and remember what it was like to be in love," Jack began. Something in Teal'c's expression stopped him. While he waited to see if he would speak further, Jack watched his son building a sand tower and carrying on an animated conversation about knights and dragons. It made Jack wonder what the last book Daniel had read to Jett was.

"Shaun'ac was my first love," Teal'c said finally, drawing Jack's attention again, "She was a priestess and it was forbidden by Apophis. Bra'tac had plans for me that did not include inciting the wrath of Apophis by soiling one of his priestesses. I did not seek Drey'auc until I was ordered to marry. She was younger, more devoted to tradition, unshakable in her beliefs. In the beginning she was a good cover. She created a stable home. But we were never…. Partners. Not in that way. Drey'auc never went to battle with me. She was never a warrior."

_Ah,_ Jack thought, getting a glimpse of what Ishta's appeal must be. Beyond the obvious of course.

"T," Jack said, "Just because your first true love didn't work out, it's no reason to think the same will happen to Rya'c; and even if it does, he'll just lash out at you for not supporting him. I kinda remember you telling Jacob Carter a long time ago that the Jaffa love their children unconditionally. Is that true or not?"

Teal'c didn't answer at first and Jack wondered if he had crossed a line. Then Teal'c said,

"Rya'c was over a year old before I first saw him."

Jack's face registered surprise and Teal'c went on, "I was leading the army of Apophis."

He didn't add that he had been in the business of killing other Jaffa fathers and sons. He didn't have to because Jack knew. He went on,

""Is it not always this way between a father and a son, especially when the son becomes a man? The paths you walk wind away and then come back together. Sometimes it is difficult to let each choose his own. The path I chose was not easy for Rya'c to accept. This path that he is choosing is not easy for me."

"I got a second chance at this 'being a father' thing, Teal'c. I just hate to see you lose what you've worked so hard to get back with Rya'c."

Teal'c seemed to be weighing that in his mind. When he spoke again his words were deep and philosophical and struck Jack like a physical blow.

"If there was true justice in the world, O'Neill, I would be suffering an eternal torment such as is described in the Tauri stories of Hell. For most of my life I have been the instrument of great evil. I have brought pain and death and suffering to countless innocents. If there was justice my punishment would be never-ending. Instead, I am a free man, surrounded by those I love most. Sometimes I neglect to be grateful for that," Teal'c paused and then said, very quietly as he looked at Jett. "It has helped to remember a time when things were not so complicated between Rya'c and me."

Jack swallowed and fastened his eyes on the small miracle that was his son. It was probably good that Teal'c rarely spoke because when he did, the man didn't mess around. He opened his mouth to reply. There had to be a dozen ways to reply to that. But none presented themselves to him and he shut his mouth again.

Jett became bored then with the sandbox and ran back over to Jack, climbing into his lap. Jack pulled a power bar and a juice box out of his jacket pocket. For a while Jett simply ate and Jack simply held him. Then, "Is Teal'c gonna visit me now too?" Jett asked.

"That's up to Teal'c," Jack answered.

"I would like that, Jarrett," Teal'c said.

Jett frowned up at him for a moment and then said, "What's that thing on your forehead?"

Jack hesitated but Teal'c had an answer. "It was a symbol of my military rank."

"Like," Jett's face twisted with concentration, "Like Jack? He's a ….General. Right?" Ernest dark eyes searched Jack's face and lit up when he got a nod of affirmation, "A General," he repeated, "and that's important and Daniel's a doctor and he says that's important too. Maybe even more important than being a General."

Jack looked bemused. "Daniel said that?"

"Uh-huh," Jett nodded. "Were you a General, Teal'c?"

"I was called a First Prime," Teal'c answered.

Jett's eyes got round. "Wow that sounds _really_ important."

"It was, at the time," Teal'c replied.

"Did you be a First Prime on Earth?" Jett asked.

"No, it was on another world."

"Another world the Stone Ring goes to? Jack said it goes to lots of places."

"He is indeed correct," Teal'c assured him.

Jett twisted his head around to look at Jack again.

"Can we go there sometime too?"

"Maybe," Jack answered.

"When?" Jett pressed.

"When you're older," Jack said. Then he stood up, lifting Jett with him.

Teal'c followed a heartbeat behind him.

"We need to go or we'll be late for dinner and Naytha will _not_ be pleased," Jack said.

"I think I will return to the SGC, "Teal'c said, "Will you give Garan and Naytha my regrets?"

"Sure," Jack said, "Any reason you're going back?"

Teal'c answered with understated smoothness, "I have a wedding to prepare for."

(0)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: The time frame from this is after Moebius, sometime before the beginning of Season 9. Jack and Sam in a very recent, and still clandestine, relationship.**

**(0)**

Within moments of his phone call, Sam appeared in his office doorway.

"You wanted to see me?" She asked, hovering the in the doorway.

"Yeah," Jack said, swallowing against his dry throat, tapping his pencil on the pad in front of him. _Every day, every moment, for the rest of my life. _He gestured with his head, "Come in, shut the door."

Sam closed the one behind her and then went to the other door and closed it decisively before sliding into the seat in front of his desk. Jack stayed in his big chair with effort as she glided by. He wanted to catch her and pull her into his lap, study her as if he had to memorize every nuance of her lovely face.

He had not slept at all the night before. In spite of having her in his arms sleep had not come easily. He had made love to her slowly; over a long period of time, with tender gentleness even long after tender gentleness stopped being what she wanted. It had ended with her clinging to him and saying "JackJackJack….." over and over as if she couldn't quite believe it.

Now that they were together, the secret that had burdened him for years had, at last, become unbearable. If he had a chance of a lifetime with Sam it was time to tell her.

He had managed to screw up every good thing in his life, except for SG1. He desperately did not want to mess that up by messing up what he now had with Sam. He should have told her ages ago, long before he had nearly broken down her door and demanded to know if he was the reason she'd ditched Shanahan.

He wasn't sure what had ever possessed him to leave her out of such an important part of his life in the first place. Fear? Avoidance? Plain and utter stupidity? Stubborn pride? The answer should be E: All of the above.

He had the most to lose with Sam; and Edora had always stood uneasily unspoken between them.

He'd been a total ass to Sam back then and he knew it.

When he dragged himself out of his own thoughts he was under close scrutiny from the woman across the desk.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Jack looked back and maintained eye contact as best he could. _Not yet, Sam. Not yet. A few more hours and then…._

Christ, he was such a fucking coward…..

"Nothing," he lied, shocked by how easily it left his mouth and how heavily it weighed on his heart. "Not really. I wanted you to know SG1 will be on stand down for a week or so."

Sam's military training kept her from doing more than arching elegant eyebrows.

"Daniel talked you into sending him to P3K-773 with SG8," it was a statement, not a question.

Jack nodded. "And Teal'c wants some time off. He didn't say why. I suspect Ishta has something to do with it."

"So I get some free time?" Sam asked.

"Ummmm, not really no."

"No?"

"I want you to go off world with me for a few days…. Maybe a ….week."

"A week?" She looked intrigued, "Just us?"

"Just you and me, yes."

"Can I ask where we're going?"

"Edora," he said. If this was going to be a test of honesty he was determined to pass it.

Her shoulders squared a little. Her eyes narrowed.

_Crap_.

"For a week?" She asked. The suspicion was implied.

"Yes. Kind of a PR thing. There's a report about new veins of naquadah. Pack casual."

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"All right." Sam stood up. "Is that it?"

"Pretty much."

Sam glanced out the large window that turned his office into a fishbowl and found the outer room deserted. She leaned across the desk and turned her head away from the security camera so that no one could read her lips.

"My place, then, tonight."

Jack swallowed again. He should beg off, tell her he needed to pack too, that he would see her in the morning… But he needed to talk to her, to tell her…... _Oh god, Sam, please forgive me….._

"Yeah," he said, nodding dumbly and trying not to stare at her mouth, so close to his. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

(0)

It was nearly eleven pm before the cab dropped Jack off at Sam's. He had first taken an official government car to Peterson and then backtracked a series through a series of cabs. She must have been watching out the window for him because the door opened when he was only half way up the walk. He crossed the remaining distance and got the door closed firmly before she was in his arms, entwining hers around his neck and offering her mouth for a soul-devouring kiss.

Jack kissed and held her with all his strength, all the passion he kept hidden behind sarcasm and dry wit. He was mesmerized by her, memorizing her in case this was the last time she greeted him with such unrestrained joy.

The last time he would hold her without his misbegotten past creating a wedge between them.

He briefly considered urging her in the direction of the bedroom where he knew, nerves or not, he would respond to her. One more time of intimacy…

Inwardly Jack sighed and released her so they could catch their breath.

"You're later than I thought you would be," Sam said, but without accusation.

"Got tied up," Jack murmured against her ear, inhaling. It was only half a lie.

"Are you hungry? I saved some dinner." She wiggled out of his embrace.

"You cooked?" He didn't have to force the humor.

"I know my way around a crock pot well enough. If I put your plate in the microwave, it's food just the way you like it – fast, hot and mostly brown."

"Mostly?" Jack asked.

"It's got some carrots in it," Sam explained.

"Ah," Jack said and then shook his head. It was time to talk. It was past time, really; and his knotted stomach was in no mood for food. "No, I need to talk to you about something."

Her eyes searched his face and suddenly she was too close. He gave her another brief hug and moved away, heading for the living room. She'd started a fire and had some candles lit. He wondered if it was for a potentially romantic evening and thought, again, _Ah, Sam, please understand about all this….._

He perched on the couch and clasped his hands in front of him, bent over, elbows on his knees. She sat down gingerly next to him.

"What's going on? Is this about Edora?"

"Yes."

"If you're going to tell me that you and Laira were…..," she paused, searching in the air for a word in a manner reminiscent of Daniel, "together, I already know that. If you want to start sharing the history of our relationships…"

"No, that's not it," Jack interrupted, "You're too smart not to have known and I won't insult you by offering you excuses. You know I was stuck there. Hell, you were the one working to get me back. All I had to do was wait for rescue. As prisons, it beat the crap out of all the others I've been in."

"So you made the best of it?" Sam asked.

Jack shrugged. "Something like that. I was lonely. She was lonely. It was a one night stand that lasted a hundred days. She always knew I would go back though she'd never admit it, ever. She liked to pretend otherwise and I went along with it. Laira was one of the kindest souls I've ever met, Sam. There was no reason to hurt her."

Sam was watching him closely, unmoving. Then she appeared to make a decision, inhaled and spoke,

"All right we weren't together then so it's not like you owe me an explanation about it. It's not like you were unfaithful or something. It's out in the open. You came home with us, where you belong."

"And I never thanked you, or apologized to you."

Sam waved a hand in the air. "Yes you have."

"What?"

"Not in words. You don't talk. I can't believe we're doing this, or dredging all this up again when I know you'd rather chew your foot off than talk. You came home. You've saved my life a dozen times. I'm the one whose door you nearly broke down. I'm over the whole Laira-thing, Jack. She died years ago and I was over it then. We can let it go…."

She broke off when he held up his hand.

"Shhh," he said, softly, "Wait."

Realization and denial flared up in her eyes. Her jaw set and her lips thinned.

"Jack." The single syllable was an interrogation more painful than any he had suffered in prisons.

"There's a child, a little boy," Jack stared into the fire, unable to meet her eyes. Softly he added, "I should have told you years ago.

"You have a six year old child you never told me about?" Her voice was too flat. It was the tone she used with him in the field and across the table during debriefings, with her CO, when she was holding back an attack of insubordination.

"Yes," he answered with some of the old tone that dared her to cross that line.

Colonel Carter would have held her tongue. The woman he had held in his arms and made love to the night before jumped off the couch and said, her voice turning glacial,

"Did any of you guys ever consider carrying protection with you somewhere in those gigantic packs?"

Jack felt his expression harden. The glib sarcasm that had served him so well came too easily.

"You'd be _shocked_ how much sex I did _not_ have off world!"

"Well maybe I would!" Sam shot back, "Since one of the first things you did off world was wander off with one of the pretty locals and have unprotected sex and nearly die of old age!"

"_Now _who's dredging up stuff up from the past?" Jack demanded. "Are you really still pissed about that after all this time?"

"It wasn't exactly the kind of behavior I wanted from my CO," Sam folded her arms tightly and turned away from him, towards the fire.

"I was _drugged,"_ Jack said, "and where the hell was my team, huh? You know, the ones who just let me wander off and do that in the first place. Do we have another issue to discuss here or are you just venting random crap at me now because you don't want to deal with the idea that I have a child?"

Sam turned back then, took a long deliberately breath, let it out. She wanted to give him a clear and sincere answer and not just return fire. and said, "Okay, you're right. I shouldn't have brought it up. That has nothing to do with what we're talking about. I just can't believe you'd take that kind of risk."

Jack ground his teeth for a moment. The whys and mechanics and circumstances of Jett's conception really weren't any of Sam's concern, no matter at all that she was now a serious part of his life.

"We were careful," he conceded, "and it's not like I would have had anything with me even if we did carry it. We were there to evacuate a population under threat from a natural disaster! Besides, the women of Edora have a plant extract they use as a form of birth control. I don't know if she stopped taking it deliberately and didn't tell me, or if it failed or both."

"We brought back samples of that plant," Sam informed him, "Laira told me that was one of its uses. Tests performed at Area 51 showed that its effectiveness was questionable at best."

"No kidding?" Jack asked the question as if he was seriously curious.

Sam gave him a look of utter exasperation and shook her head.

"Look, Sam," he said, "I don't regret Jarrett. He's a miracle. He's a second chance I didn't deserve and never thought I'd get. So are you. I need you to meet him. I want both of you in my life. It shouldn't be that much of a burden for you. He lives light years away and I'm a few years from starting to bring him to Earth, even for short visits."

"But you want to?" She asked. Her eyes were suddenly too bright and he realized they had filled with tears. Abruptly Jack was reminded that Daniel wasn't the only one with childhood issues.

"Of course I do! He's my son."

Sam stared at him, breathing hard.

"Do me a favor?" Jack asked.

"What?"

"Stop censoring whatever it is you're really thinking and just give me the raw feed."

"I thought I just did that and it didn't go so well," she said.

"No, that was deflection. I think what you said about being over the Laira-thing is crap too. I think you're pissed at the way I treated you and pissed that I didn't remain faithful to 'us' even when 'we' didn't exist. I'm trying to come clean with you here and I want the same from you."

Sam leveled him with a look that said he really didn't want her to come clean and he gave one right back to her that said go ahead.

Sam took another breath. "I _was_ pissed. For a long time I was beyond furious with you about all that. I was _jealous_, for gods sake! I had no right to be but I was and I worked so _hard_ to get you back and you didn't even really speak to me. I thought you wanted to stay with her and you were angry with me and feeling forced to come back and that made me _so _angry with you! You didn't want to come home because you knew she was pregnant, didn't you? You never tell me anything! You hold back seventy five percent of your life from me and like an idiot I've been happy to have even the tiniest thing from you. Now there's this- you have a _child_ and you've kept it from me for years and I _know even though you haven't said anything that you told Teal's and Daniel first!"_

Sam yelled it. Really yelled. Hollered in anger in a way he had never heard before.

Jack didn't even blink.

"I did," he acknowledged, "The reasons are complicated."

"So you're going to keep that from me too?" Sam challenged.

"No. All right, listen," he began, "I told Daniel so that someone else here would know about Jett and take care of him if something happened to me. I told Teal'c because he needed to be reminded of how important sons are to their fathers and vice versa. I didn't tell you because I'm a fucking idiot. Is that good enough for right now?"

"Good enough for what?"

"Forgiveness," Jack said, softly, "Acceptance …..especially of Jett. He's the other innocent party here."

"You can't think I don't want anything to do with him," she said.

"I don't know," he admitted, "I'm a lot to take on all by myself, Sam. Now there's a six year old from another planet. It's a package deal I should have told you about immediately and if you want out I completely understand."

Sam walked over to him and sat down close. She put her hand on his arm, squeezed tight. Jack dared to look back at her, straight into her eyes. He was afraid to see rejection there, disappointment in the deep blue depths that had always been his salvation.

"We're going to have to get better at this," Sam said, "No more hiding things. Full disclosure from now on or this relationship is screwed."

"Hey, together we won the battle for galactic domination," Jack said, with a trace of the wry humor she loved, "I think we can manage to at least meet each other halfway."

Sam smiled and leaned forward until her head was touching his forearm.

"I'm still pissed -"

"I know."

"- pissed that you didn't tell me, that you didn't explain why you acted the way you did on Edora, pissed that you told Daniel and Teal'c first and _really_ pissed that you're so damned handsome and you know it and I can't help but love you –"

"Still love, huh?"

Sam pressed a little tighter, wrapped her arms around his arm and looked up.

"Yes, I love you, even though you can be a complete ass; and I do forgive you. It just might take me a little while to stop being angry."

"You'll still go to Edora with me?" Jack asked, "To meet Jett?"

"Jack," she said, softly.

He reached out, put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her even closer a little desperately. It was a strange echo of the same thing Daniel had said four years earlier. It held some of the same chiding forgiveness. But this had a hint of exasperation in it, and more love and wonder than Jack would ever understand. It told him everything he needed to know. One utterance of his name and he knew the truth. Relief coursed through him like a drug.

Sam loved him. She always had. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, leaned in more to kiss her neck and lick the soft skin behind her ear.

"I need to pack," she said, weakly.

"Later?" He asked, hopefully.

Sam groaned and nodded. "Later," she agreed helplessly as he pushed her over onto the couch and she let him have his wicked way with her.

(0)


	7. Chapter 7

It seemed to Sam that she had been less nervous 'Gating into unknown and possibly enemy territory. Her pack was full of civilian clothes instead of BDUs and regular groceries instead of MREs. She wasn't carrying a weapon deadlier than her pocket knife. It made her feel a little off balance.

The truth was that she had never really been good with kids. Kids didn't tend to be part of her life. Her genius IQ had always made her more comfortable with adults, even during her own childhood. Jack was great with kids. They adored him without question.

There was Cassie of course but even from the beginning Sam hadn't considered trying to be Cassie's surrogate mother. Cassie had been twice Jett's ago as well and hardly a 'child' anymore given what had happened to her. Sam had reacted to Cassie with all her military instincts to protect and defend civilians and innocents. Forging a friendship with the teenager had been easy.

Forging a relationship with a six year old was not something Sam thought she could accomplish. She didn't have any training or hypothesis to guide her in this.

In spite of her demand for full disclosure the night before, Sam wasn't sure how to tell that to Jack without sounding like she was just trying to avoid meeting Jett. Jack had talked a little about Jett that in the dark hours of the morning when they had shared breakfast and coffee. His pride was obvious.

It had been an eye-opening experience to find out just how vulnerable Jack could be. Vulnerable was not a word she usually associated with the smart-mouthed, in your face man she had been following for eight years. But that was what she had seen the previous night and that was what she saw now somewhere in the depths of his eyes as they waited for the Gate to finish dialing.

He wondered if he could see her fears being reflected back at him. A moment later, after the violent wave had settled down into the rippling event horizon, Sam stepped through the Gate beside him. Seconds later she was breathing the fresh air of Edora for the first time in years.

Instead of moving forward, Jack stepped closer to her. He brushed his knuckles over her cheek for a moment. Then his fingers glided down her arm and his hand folded around hers. His fingers laced with hers until their palms pressed tight in something like a kiss. She could feel his pulse pounding strong and steady.

Sam's first reaction was to pull away in startled apprehension. His hand tightened and he refused to let go.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," Sam said, quickly and she squeezed back reassuringly, "It's just….."

"Just what?" Jack demanded and it seemed to Sam that he was on the verge of reminding her that full disclosure was _her_ idea.

"We've never held hands before," she said.

Jack seemed surprised, as if he had taken her hand purely by instinct and forgotten that on Earth they could never do such a thing. On Earth they had to watch every word, every movement, every glance and touch. It was the first glimpse Sam got that Jack was different on Edora, more relaxed. In this place of peace his hand had instinctively sought hers.

"Is it okay?" He asked, slowly.

"Yes!" She meant it.

She relished the feeling of his hand wrapped around hers all the way into the village. She walked not at his six but at his side, shoulders almost touching, hands clasped. His hand was hard and calloused, tough with strong muscles and old scars.

Jack didn't even immediately let her go when they started to run into people going about their daily routines. It was as if now that he had her hand he never wanted to let it go.

He was greeted by everyone they passed with genuine pleasure. Sam noticed. She also noticed that many people recognized her and included her in their salutations. If they were put off at all by the fact that she was holding hands with Jack, there was no indication of it in their expressions.

He didn't make any move to release her hand until he heard the sound of his name being shouted by a young boy. As the child raced towards them, Jack gave her hand one more tight squeeze before letting go and reaching out to catch the boy in his arms and swing him high into the air.

"Look how big you are!" Jack exclaimed as he brought Jett down into his arms and hugged him close.

The expression on Jack's face was one Sam had never seen. It was some kind of transported joy, as if he had been holding his breath between the last time he had seen his son and this.

"He's gotten tall in the last few weeks," Naytha said as she came out of the house brushing flour from her hands onto her skirt. "Garan is at the press. Oh, hello Captain Carter."

"It's just Sam, Naytha. It's good to see you again."

Sitting securely in Jack's arms, Jett said excitedly, "You're Sam!"

Startled Sam turned and looked into deep brown eyes that were the image of Jack's. Jett had Jack's square bone structure, even his body type – lean and muscled. Only the ragged mop of black curls on the top of his head seemed to come from his mother.

She was struck by the fact that Jett was wearing blue jeans and a Clone Wars t-shirt.

"Yes," she said, uncertainly, "I'm Sam."

"Daniel told me about you!" Jett went on. "You were kidnapped by a prince and sold to an evil warlord. You tried to escape and they caught you again and brought you back. Then you defeated the warlord in a fight – all by yourself! - and they had to let you go."

"D-Daniel told you that?" Sam said. She looked helplessly at Jack.

"I think he's talking about the time you were kidnapped by the Mongols on…." Jack faltered as his memory failed him.

"Simarka," Sam supplied, "It was one of our first missions." She looked at Jett again, into earnest and slightly wondering eyes, "Daniel told you all that?"

"He wrote it in a story for me. He drew your picture and _everything_. He said Jack would bring you to meet me. You're like a superhero! The story is at the other house. Will you read it to me?"

Sam stared for a moment. "Daniel wrote and illustrated a story for you about me?"

When Jett just kept staring at her in a kind of awe Jack said, "Well you know Daniel when it comes to words; and you've seen his journals. He can draw pretty well."

Sam wasn't quite sure what do or say. Naytha filled the silence.

"There's everything but food at the house. I'm not sure the clothes we left there for Jarrett will still fit him though."

"I brought him some new things," Jack said. He put Jett down and ruffled his hair, "Want to stay at the house with Sam and me for a few days?"

"Can we go fishing?" Jett asked.

"Ya betcha," Jack grinned, "Go get whatever you want to bring with you."

A few moments later Jett reappeared awkwardly juggling a hand carved wooden boat, a stuffed teddy bear and a blue blanket with his name embroidered in Edoran lettering. Jack knelt to put the items in his pack.

"Tell Garan I'll come by the see him later," Jack told Naytha, "We're staying for at least four or five days. Maybe more."

"I know they want to see you up at the mines," Naytha said, "We were expecting you." She got a hug goodbye from Jarrett. "Have fun," she told him. "Be good."

Jett ran to take Jack's hand and to Sam's utter shock the little boy reached up for hers.

"I have one hand and you have another," Jett said in a sing song voice, "Put them together and we have each other!"

"Daniel didn't teach you that," Jack said with utter certainty.

"No, Naytha did!" Jett answered.

Sam was wordless again. A bit stunned, she looked at Jack over Jett's head. Jack smiled, looking bemused and inordinately pleased. He gave her a slight shrug.

Sam tentatively wrapped her hand around Jett's. It was amazingly small but he gripped tight. Sam had the oddest feeling that somehow she was still holding hands with Jack, linked through this miniature version who seemed to already trust her implicitly. She looked down, contemplating this for a moment.

When she looked back up, Jack's face was radiant. His eyes were soft with love and his mouth was fighting a smile of pure happiness.

He looked like a man who suddenly had everything he had ever wanted in the world.

"Ready?" He asked, knowing she was still uncertain about this whole thing.

"Yes," she answered.

With Jett chattering about everything he had done since Jack's last visit, they set off down the road.

(0)


	8. Chapter 8

Jack knew his way around the small house very well. He opened windows and doors to air it out, checked the cupboards and unpacked the food they had brought with them. He went out behind the house and turned the water back on. Then he checked the pump at the sink to make sure the water was running clean.

Sam helped unpack and then turned down the covers on the beds to let them air. There was one tiny room with a single bed and a trunk. When Sam opened it she found it was full of Jett's clothes and toys. Against a wall there was a book case that seemed to have been recently built. It was filled with children's classics, comic books, coloring books and a basket of crayons.

The other room was just as spare. The bed was larger and there were two trunks. She hesitated for a moment and then yanked down the worn quilt and wrinkled the sheets a bit. She reached for a pillow to fluff and was standing there hugging it thoughtfully when Jack appeared in the doorway.

"You can have Jett's room if you want. He can bunk with me. It's what we do when Daniel visits."

Sam squeezed the pillow and half turned towards him. Had he known what she was thinking? This was the room he had shared with Laira. The bed he had shared with Laira.

She shook it off, determined to be an adult. Jack came willingly to her bed and she had spent a great deal of time there with Pete. It didn't seem to bother him.

She fluffed the pillow, tossed it on the bed and turned towards him. She gave him the smile that always took his breath away and didn't fail to do so this time.

"Are you that tired of sleeping with me already?" Sam asked lightly.

Jack laughed – a short, wry bark without humor. "Never gonna happen," he said.

She walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. Lips touched with exquisite tenderness.

They were still embracing when Jett's voice called from the main room.

"Jack! Jack! I found a snake!"

"Don't bring it in the house!" Jack hollered.

"Ut-uh!" Jett said, "Jack! Jack! It's getting away!"

Twenty minutes later Jack was holding the end of Jett's small bed as far off the floor as he could get it, Sam was on her belly under it and Jett was hovering anxiously in the doorway where Jack had told him firmly to stay.

"Did you get it?" Jack asked.

"Yeah….No….Wait….Okay, yeah. Coming out," Sam answered.

She wriggled out in a classic reverse combat crawl, wearing a pair of garden gloves she had packed 'just in case' and holding a small writhing striped snake. She sat down on the floor and looked up at Jack.

"Any chance this is poisonous?"

"Let's hope not," Jack said, unhelpfully.

Jett rushed over. "Is it hurt?"

"No, I don't think so. But it's scared, so don't touch him," Jack said.

Jett sat down next to Sam and they talked a little bit about the snake. Sam agreed that it was a very pretty snake and showed him the pattern of blue to yellow triangles that went down its back. After a moment, Jack helped her stand up and they let it go on the edge of the garden.

"Let's not touch wild things unless someone is with you, okay, Jett?" Jack asked. His tone was light but clearly meant business.

"Why?" Jett asked.

"Because you can get hurt," Jack answered.

"How?"

"You could have been bitten."

"It's just little! How hard can it bite?"

"That's not the point. Little things sometimes can hurt you in big ways,"

"But –"

"Jett! What is my first job? Before I do anything else with you, what do I have to do?"

Jett sighed and Sam got the feeling father and son had had this conversation.

"Keep me safe," Jett answered with an expression of long-suffering patience on his small features.

"Right," Jack said, "So save the crazy stuff for when you're older."

"How old?"

"Ninety," Jack answered.

"Jack! Nuh-uh!"

"Okay, eighty but not a moment sooner."

They turned to go back to the house with Jett skipping ahead of them, laughing at the world.

"Jack! Jack! Look! The moon is out already!"

Looking up into the milky late afternoon sky they could see a waning moon rising over the river.

"Yes it is," Jack agreed.

"Why does it go away every night and then come back?" Jett asked.

"It's being eaten by the sun," Jack said and then it was Sam's turn to say,

"Jack!"

"Isn't it?" Jack asked, eyebrows lifting and a feigned look of complete innocence on his face. "Then the sun makes a new one so it can get eaten again."

They had made it back to the house by then. Jett was looking at Jack with extreme skepticism.

"Come here, Jett," Sam said. "I'll show you about the moon. Sometimes your fa…. Jack is just being silly."

Sam got a plate and a bowl from the sideboard and a flashlight from her pack. She brought them to the table and Jett climbed up and stood on a chair, leaning over to curiously watch what she was doing.

"Okay, let's say this plate is the moon and this bowl is Edora –"

"-We live on Edora!" Jett said eagerly.

"That's right," Sam agreed, "Now if I turn on the flashlight –"

"Where are we?" Jett asked, "On the bowl? Where is my house?"

Sam looked over at Jack for help. But he had settled in the chair by the fire and was watching with an expression of extreme amusement on his face. He lifted a shoulder.

"You're the astrophysicist, Dr. Carter. You ought to know where we are on the bowl."

Sam pointed to a spot in the center bottom and said, "We're right here, where we can see the moon."

"Okay," Jett agreed.

"If I turn on the flashlight-"

"Can I do it? I want to do it!"

Sam handed it to him, wondering out how huge it looked in his small, determined hands. He pressed on the button a few times with his thumb and then grinned when it came on and he gave it back to her. His smile was one hundred times brighter than the flashlight beam.

A moment later Jett understood that the flashlight was the sun and that is what lit up the moon and when Edora got between them it made a shadow that seemed to make the moon 'go away.'

Thirty minutes later Jett was still moving the bowl back and forth between the light and the plate watching the 'moon phases' while Jack and Sam made stir fry for dinner. Jack commented that he had never seen him stay in one place for such a long period of time and then said,

"Now I know who's going to teach him science."

Sam glanced at him with surprise flickering across her face. She had obviously not ever considered being a teacher. "Me?"

Jack shrugged again though his nonchalance didn't fool her. It meant a lot to him that she seemed to be getting along with his son.

"If you want. Teal'c's got the martial arts covered. Daniel's got the cultural and historical stuff covered," he stopped talking, letting her fill in the blanks by herself.

She considered it for a moment. "I'd like that. I take it you have no objection to me teaching him about astronomy?"

"None," Jack answered. He leaned over and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Sam smiled. "It's always been a little bit of a turn on for me that astronomy is your hobby," she admitted.

"My master's degree means nothing to you?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.

Sam reached up to cup the back of his head. Fingers laced into his spikey hair as she pulled him down. "Your master's makes me want to push you onto the floor and ravish you."

Jack made a low sound of happy almost-arousal that came up from his chest. "That's going to have to wait," he said.

"I know," Sam kissed him lightly. She dropped her hand to the smooth skin on his muscled neck. "It will be worth waiting for."

Since everything about their relationship had been worth waiting for, Jack had to agree. He scraped the stir fry into a large bowl and turned away from the stove.

"Jett! Put all that away and go wash your hands."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes! Or we won't have dinner cleaned up in time to sit on the porch and watch the stars come out."

That seemed to convince the boy. He hurried to put the plate and bowl to one side and struggled to turn the flashlight off, gripping it between his knees at one point and using both thumbs. He refused Sam's offer of help.

They sat down to eat and Sam started to pass the bowl to Jett when he said, "Wait! We have to say the blessing!"

Sam exchanged a questioning look with Jack. His return look asked for her understanding. Jett straddled two worlds and in the one he usually inhabited this was his custom. Sam let go of the bowl and folded her hands.

"Go on, Jett," she said, kindly.

"Thank you Ancestors for the food that we get to eat and bless Sam and Jack because they made it. And if my mama is there tell her that I love her and I miss her. Thanks be to the ancestors." He looked uncertainly at Sam. "All done," he added to reassure her.

After dinner and the subsequent clean up Jack took Jett out to use the outside facilities, came back in, watched him get washed up and brush his teeth and then get into a pair of Spiderman pajamas. They went out on the porch and sat down in the two wooden chairs made comfy by a set of worn cushions.

Jett settled in Jack's lap and for a while Sam was content just to watch the two of them as they competed to see who could see the next star that appeared in the darkening sky. Jack's arms were wrapped protectively around Jett and Sam was left to wonder at how great he was with kids and how obviously besotted he was with his son.

Before the sky had gone completely dark Jett had fallen asleep with his head pillowed on Jack's chest.

"He's really wonderful, Jack," Sam said, quietly.

"He is pretty amazing, isn't he?" Jack answered.

Sam smiled, reached over for his hand. She was getting used to this hand-holding thing. Entwining her fingers with his she said,

"Just like his dad."

(0)


	9. Chapter 9

Jack carried Jett to bed just as the last of rays of the sun faded from orange to pink.

When he came back he was carrying two ceramic mugs. He handed her one and settled back in his chair.

"What is this?"

'Local brew. Careful. It's got a kick."

Sam took a careful sip. "Whoa!" she said, and then coughed and blinked rapidly for a moment. An abrupt flush colored her fair skin. "_That_ will clear your sinuses."

Jack drank from his mug and watched her over the lip as he did. He watched her a lot, Sam had noticed. She liked it almost as much as the hand-holding thing.

"You know you don't have to get me drunk to get me into bed, right?" she asked.

"I have nothing but honorable intentions," Jack answered.

Sam took another sip now that she knew what to expect.

"Is Jett always so –"

"Bossy?" Jack interjected.

Sam grinned. "He's just curious. But I was going to say energetic."

"Yeah, he's a powerhouse," Jack drawled. He took another drink and then set his mug on the table between them.

"How often do you see him?" Sam asked.

"Every chance I get," Jack said. "In some ways it's not really different for me from….. before."

Sam almost stopped breathing. Jack never talked to her about his past life – Sara, Charlie. She let the buzz of night time insects fill the air and watched the fireflies moving across the grass. Jack would either keep talking or he wouldn't.

Finally he did. "I never knew how long I would be gone or when I would see them. I had to make the most of the time I had."

Sam nodded. "I understand," and when he glanced at her in mute appeal for that understanding she went on to further reassure him, "I was a military baby. I knew what that meant. Jett's father is an Air Force General. I think you're doing an amazing job with him."

Jack was silent for a long time. Then he sat up in a breathtaking, thoughtless ripple of ab and shoulder muscles under his shirt.

"Listen, Sam. You kind of let me off the hook for not offering better reasons for keeping him a secret from you –"

"You noticed that?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely noticed. Not that I deserved it. The truth is there was no single reason and probably none of them were good. I owe you an apology and I don't know where to begin."

"You don't owe me anything. It's your life."

"You're my 21C, my teammate. SG1 is closer than _family._ I should have told you."

"So you want to run through all those 'not good' reasons you didn't?"

"I don't know, Sam. Some of it was all the unspoken things between us. Maybe it wasn't until now that I _could_ tell you so that we could finally say a lot of those things. If I had told you 3, 4 even 5 years ago you still couldn't have vented all the anger you had built up. Not the way you did the other night. I couldn't have said all the things I said," Jack paused and stared at the darkening sky without seeing it.

Sam filled the silence. "It's ridiculous for me to feel anything about that time, Jack. We weren't together. It just …. _Hurt_ somehow, that someone could mean more to you than me, than SG1."

"Nothing ever did," Jack answered, "Nothing ever will. It filled a void, Sam. That's all. But I meant what I said. I regret that any of this hurt you. I don't regret Jett's existence. But one of the reasons for not telling you…..I thought maybe Jett would be easier for you to get to know when he was older and I….."

He stopped again but this time he looked at her. One side of his rugged face was hidden in darkness, the other lit by the soft glow coming from the cabin window.

"I didn't want to risk losing you before I even _had_ you. Damn it, Sam. You and Jett are the only things that make me feel helpless. Losing either of you would end me."

Sam stared at him as a sudden realization came to her. Jack had hurt her, inadvertently, because of his own pain. So many of his actions were caused by the unresolved heartache of his past. Everything he did was to overcome the pain of losing everything he had once held dear. Jack was plagued by the past, haunted by it. So he lived fiercely, deliberately in the present, trusting his tactical instincts instead of letting himself think. Sam ran the last eight years through the viewer of her mind, trying to revise what she knew now for certain with what she had always believed.

The last thing he needed was her anger. Forgiveness was about letting go of her own foolish resentment over something that had never been meant to hurt her in the first place. Forgiveness was about setting them both free.

"Jack," her voice broke. It was the kind of sound that could not be faked or stopped.

Sam got out of her chair and reached for his hand, pulling him to his feet. She slid her arms around him and pressed close. There was a surge of desperation in the strength of his arms as he brought her into embrace. Sam's senses filled with a delicious solidity, the hard muscle of a career soldier. This was a man molded by the weight and pressure of secrets that only a handful of people could ever know.

As her mouth welcomed his, she could taste the bite of the local whiskey. He felt wonderful - sturdy, masculine, virile, human.

And vulnerable in ways she never expected. She kissed him to reassure him. She didn't want to end the kiss or the embrace even to urge him to bed. This was the man she wanted to be with night after night, never tiring of him, never fearing that he couldn't handle her intelligence or her passion…..

Never fearing that the darkness in Jack's past would be more than _she_ could handle.

Sam was not one to indulge in girlish flights of fancy. But in the time it took them to kiss Sam lived a lifetime – loved and trusted, secure, with someone always at her back…. _Happy._

She had been frightened that somehow Jett would interfere with that fantasy – one that was only just now starting to become real. But now she saw how he could strengthen them, bring them closer. Being with Jett hadn't put the least strain on their relationship.

"Jack," she said.

"Mmmm?" He murmured against her hair.

"Let's go to bed."

Jack shivered hard.

"Okay," he said.

(0)


	10. Chapter 10

Sam wasn't sure what woke her up first – the flash of lightning, the low rumble of thunder or the sound of Jett crying, "Mama!" The frightened cry was followed by a long, high-pitched wail.

The sounds combined to wrench her awake. She found Jack already on his feet, hauling on a pair of pajama bottoms and racing out of the room. Sam's bare feet hit the floor less than a heartbeat later. Grabbing the robe she had thrown over the end of the bed, she followed him at a run to Jett's room.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"He's having a nightmare and he doesn't like storms. He lost his mother in one," Jack answered.

"He remembers that?" Sam asked as they reached the door and went inside.

"Yes," Jack answered shortly. He sounded grimly displeased.

Jack went and switched on the battery operated lantern on Jett's trunk. Then he sat down on the edge of the narrow bed and leaned over his son. He placed a large, gentle hand on his son's shoulders and began making slow, steady circles with his palm.

"Jett, wake up," he said, loudly, insistently. "Everything is fine. Wake up! Come on, buddy. It's Jack. You're safe."

There was another flash of light and roll of thunder. Jett made a terrified sound and sat straight up.

"Mama!" he whimpered again.

Jack caught him and held him close. A moment later Jett looked up and rubbed his eyes.

"Jack?"

"Yeah," Jack said, softly, "Hey there. You're fine. I've got you."

An amazing cascade of lightning danced around the room followed by a loud crack of thunder. Jett burrowed deeper against Jack and started to sob. Jack stroked a hand over Jett's tousled hair and said,

"It's just light and noise. It won't hurt you," Jack said. "Even if it could, I wouldn't let it."

"Are the Ancestors mad at us?" Jett asked, his voice shaking.

"No. No, it's just a storm with a lot of noise."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"No one will go join the Ancestors this time?"

"No, Jett. Everything is fine."

Jett's large innocent brown eyes were filled with worry. There was a crease in his forehead that looked too familiar to Sam.

"Are you _really _sure?" Jett's voice was still trembling.

At that moment the rain started. They could hear it pounding on the roof.

"Of course, I'm sure."

"How?"

"Sam told me. She knows everything."

Jack looked up at her then. Sam stared back with something like wonder in her eyes. She knew Jack was protective but she had never seen this gentle side of him before.

"It's just noise, right Sam?" Jack prompted.

"What? Oh! Yes. Actually that really is all that it is."

She had been frozen in the doorway but now she came forward and sat down, squeezing into the small space that was left. Jett was now cradled between them.

More lightning shimmered and another crack of thunder kept her from answering right away. She could feel Jett trembling.

"Jett, did you ever walk across a floor and get a shock when you touched something?" She asked.

"Uh-huh, sometimes." The light from the storm had revealed his tear streaked face.

"Okay, well that's little tiny lightning, just like in the storm outside. It's from the clouds all bumping into each other. When they touch they make the lightning," Sam explained.

"Yeah?" Jett asked. He had turned slightly in Jack's arms so that he could see Sam. His hands were still clutching Jack. "But what makes the big noise?"

Thunder growled outside.

"Watch," Sam said, "When the lightning is in the air it makes a small tunnel." Sam held her hands apart, "And when the tunnel closes again," Sam clapped her hands together as hard as she could, "It makes a loud sound."

He considered that seriously, sniffing and wiping his nose on his pajama sleeve. Jack was gently stroking his hair.

"The noise is like the sky clapping?" Jett asked.

Sam couldn't help a smile. "Yeah, that's it. The noise is just the sky clapping."

She took the edge of her sleeve in her hand and used it to wipe his eyes.

A startling display of lightning turned the room to daylight. Jack gathered Jett and held him so that his ears were covered as a blast of thunder rattled the house. Jett tightened his hold on Jack and Sam leaned over to over him the comfort of her own warmth.

"It claps _loud_, Sam!" Jett said.

"Sometimes," she whispered, "it does. But it's still just noise."

Sam glanced up and into Jack's eyes and was met by the awed gaze of a man helplessly in love. It took her breath away from a moment.

Jack untangled them all at that point. He stood, picking up Jett in the process.

"Come on, buddy. You can sleep with us."

He gave Sam a questioning look but she had been about to make the same suggestion.

"My blanket!" Jett cried, reaching down with his fist opening and closing rapidly.

Sam grabbed it. "I have it, Jett."

He settled down with his arms around his father's neck and his head on Jack's shoulder.

They went back to the larger bedroom and got under the covers with Jett snuggled in between them. In spite of the continued lightning flashes and growling thunder, Jett had stopped crying. He even yawned as Jack tucked his blanket around him and then drew the quilt up over all of them.

He caught Sam's eye and then reached over to cradle the back of her head in his hand. Leaning over Jett he pressed a long, fierce kiss against her forehead.

"I love you," he said.

Startled Sam stared back at him for a moment.

"I love you, too," she said, with equal ferocity, tilting her face up so that her lips could meet his.

"Do you love me too, Jack?" Jett asked, sleepily.

"Of course I do, Jett. You know that," Jack answered.

"And does Sam love me?" he asked.

Sam blinked back tears. "Yes, Jett. I love you."

"I love you too, Sam," Jett murmured and then in the next breath he sighed and fell asleep.

(0)

Very early the next morning Sam knew what woke her up first. It was Jett's urgent whisper and the feeling of him tugging on Jack's shirt.

"Jack! Jack! I need to go out to the potty!"

As always, Jack came instantly awake. "Okay, get your shoes."

She missed them the moment they left the bed. Cracking one eye open she saw that the room was turning a hazy gray. It must be the first creeping light of dawn.

She snuggled down into the pillow and blanket and listened to Jack's deep voice murmuring instructions and Jett's excited whispers asking what they were going to do that day. A moment later the door clicked and silence descended on the cabin.

It made her feel instantly lonely. So she was oddly relieved when they came back in a short time later.

"After breakfast," Jack was saying.

"Whyyyyy?" Jett whined.

"Because we have to eat!" Jack answered. "Go wash up, and don't wake Sam!"

She heard Jett working the pump and then the water at the sink running. A moment later Jack came back into the bedroom and stretched out beside her.

"Hey," he said, softly.

She loved when he greeted her that way, loved the sound of it, the intimacy.

"Hey yourself," she answered with a sleepy smile. "Does he always wake up before dawn?"

"Yeah," Jack drawled, "Pretty much. Listen, I'm gonna take him fishing."

"After breakfast," Sam guessed.

"Yeah," Jack leaned over and kissed her forehead just above her eyebrow. "Stay in bed. Sleep in. You've earned it."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, actually relishing the idea of a lazy morning spent sleeping late.

"Positive," Jack said.

Sam started to argue and then thought that maybe he wanted some father-son time with Jett. She had never asked him how long it had been since they had seen each other.

"Okay," she said.

He started to rise and she caught his arm.

"Jack."

"What?"

"You were right," she said.

"Probably for the first time," Jack said, wryly, "Dare I ask about what?"

"He _is_ easier for me to relate to now than he would have been when he was littler."

"Ah," was the only answer he gave her.

Jack kissed her again, pulled the quilt up a little higher over her and then slipped off the bed and out of the room.

In spite of wanting to sleep Sam couldn't help but eavesdrop on them. Jett was having a cranky morning. Probably it was from having his sleep interrupted the night before; but he didn't seem to remember anything at all about the storm. He complained about his oatmeal and wanted some different kind of berry than the one Jack had supplied. Then he wanted milk instead of juice. But the worst head-to-head confrontation came when Jack told him to go change into his old boots.

"I don't want to!" Jett said, "I want these boots. Garan got them for me."

"Those are brand new and not waterproof. Go get the ones I brought you for fishing – the black rubber ones."

"No," Jett said, firmly.

"Then I guess we aren't going fishing."

"But I want to! You said we could!"

"When you change your boots we will."

"You're mean!"

Sam heard something that sounded like Jett's sturdy body hitting the floor. In spite of everything she had to smile at the idea of stubborn Jack O'Neill running head first into stubborn Jett O'Neill.

Talk about an irresistible force meeting an immovable object…..

For the next ten minutes she listened to Jett alternately plead and whine and threaten and stubbornly refuse to change his boots to the calm counterpoint of Jack silently cleaning up breakfast.

"I'm _not_ changing my boots," Jett said finally. The fierce determination in his voice reminded her much too much of her Air Force Colonel.

"Well then I guess we're going back to bed," Jack said.

She heard his footsteps coming towards the door.

"Nooooo!" Jett wailed.

"Well those are the choices – fishing in your old boots or going back to bed."

There was immediate silence.

"Okay," Jett grumbled.

Sam smiled, sighed and closed her eyes again. Jack was amazing, more than she had ever imagined. The moment of childhood rebellion had been intense but for some reason it hadn't been off-putting. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of utter peace, of _family_. Something she had not known in a long time. She had meant what she said the night before. She loved them, _both_ of them. Jett had worked his way into her heart even faster than Jack.

A little while later she heard them clomping out the door again. Silence settled again and this time she found it soothing. Sam closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

As appealing as it sounded to sleep in Sam was too military to stay in bed for long. She dozed until the room grew light and then got up. She made coffee and had oatmeal for breakfast, straightened up the cabin and then left Jack a note.

_I went up to the mining camp to check on the new geological reports. I left at 8:15 zulu. I have my radio._

She hesitated for just a moment and then signed it:

_I love you._

_Sam_

It was the first time she had written it out. The first time she had dared to, really. It wasn't something she could immediately process.

But between this and the hand-holding, Sam was starting to have an entirely different relationship with Edora than the one she'd had for years.

She was starting to really love Edora.

Even though they had gotten off to a rocky start the partnership between Edora and the SGC had become a model for mutual cooperation and benefit. The mining camp was about three klicks out of the village. It maintained as quiet a presence as possible and always stepped up when anyone or anything needed help.

As a result, naquadah flowed out of the mines in a steady stream. If the survey teams were correct about the new veins being discovered on the other side of the mountains, this relationship could continue for many decades.

The journey was pleasant, unhurried, more of a walk than a hike. She spent a little more than an hour with Col. Ross going over the reports, visited with the personnel and got a general feeling for what the operation was. Then she took advantage of their generators and facilities to take a short but wonderful shower and change into the clean clothes she had brought with her.

It was nearly noon by the time she walked back to the cabin and the day was promising to be warm. It was early summer in this part of Edora and Sam realized that she had no idea how hot the summers actually were here.

She was within several yards of the cabin when the front door burst open and Jett came running out on his sturdy legs, churning up dirt and yelling,

"Sam! Sam! Guess what! Guess what!"

Before Sam even had a chance to guess what he had skidded up to her, jumping up and down.

"We caught _three_ fish!"

"You did?" Sam answered, hoping she sounded suitably impressed.

Jett caught her hand and started pulling her forward. "Uh-huh! And Jack says we can have them for dinner. Is that okay? Do you like fish?

"I like fish very much," Sam answered, "and I am sure this is going to be the best fish I ever had."

Jack stepped out onto the porch at that point.

"I'm thinking it's going to be the greatest, most incredible, tastiest fish Sam ever had," he said.

As he stepped down off the porch into the early afternoon sunshine, Sam felt her breath catch in her throat.

He had changed into a t-shirt and shorts and was barefoot. A day and half in the sun and he was tanned again. The hard lines that time and tragedy had etched into his handsome feautures seemed to have been smoothed away. He looked openly relaxed, happy. He looked ten years younger. She had completely lost track of Jett's chatter. Jack was absolutely beautiful and Sam could hardly take her eyes off him.

Her heart was pounding by the time she had walked up to him.

Something in her eyes, or her expression, or maybe in her silence caused a confused look to cross his features. He put his hand in the center of her back and she shivered.

"What?" he asked.

She answered by standing up on tiptoe and kissing the strong edge of his jaw.

"Sam!" Jett cried, "Come see! I brought you something."

"You brought me something?" Sam asked. Then she let him pull her into the cabin.

The little boy dropped her hand and ran to the table, where a glass jar held a small spray of wild flowers. Jett climbed up on a chair, got the glass in both hands, climbed down and turned around.

Some of his exuberance faltered and he carried it over to her with his head ducked and shy look on his face.

"I picked some flowers for you," he said.

"Oh Jett, that was so sweet!" Sam said. She knelt down to take the glass from him and give him a tight, hug.

"Are you sure?" Jett asked.

"Yes!"

"Then why are you crying? Did I get the wrong kind of flowers?"

"No!" Sam said, wiping her misty eyes on her sleeve, "These are exactly the right kind of flowers that I love! I'm just not used to anyone getting me flowers."

From behind her, in a voice husky with love, Jack said, "Well _that's_ going to have to change."

Sam twisted around and looked up to find him gazing at her with the same kind of wonder he reserved for when she blew up suns and bent alien technology to her will.

"So we've progressed from a new relationship to a romance?"

Jack shrugged. He was standing in the doorway, framed in light and looking so handsome her breath caught again.

"No reason we can't," he said, lightly. "You know I don't want to screw this up."

"I don't need flowers, Jack," Sam said, even though she had no doubt that a man with Special Forces background could find a way to send her flowers every day and never get caught.

"But you deserve them," he said, coming in. "Doesn't she Jett?"

"Uh-huh!" Jett said, with the same exuberance he brought to everything else in his life. "Are we going to clean the fish, Jack?"

"Yes," Jack answered, "Then we're going for a swim in the lake."

Jett looked into Sam's eyes. She was still kneeling so he was only a few inches from her face. It was startling how much like Jack's those liquid chocolate eyes were.

"Will you come with us to the lake Sam? Jack is going to teach me to swim like a fish! Right? Right, Jack?"

"Yes."

Sam stood up and turned to Jack. Miss a chance to see Jack in nothing but swim trunks, soaking wet? Not a chance.

"Yeah, I'll come swimming but you're on your own for cleaning the fish. I just took a shower," she answered.

"Guess why we're going to the lake after we do that," Jack said, even though it was pretty obvious.

Sam smiled.

"Come on, Jett," Jack said, reaching for his son's hand. "We gotta get started so we can get to the lake when it really gets warm outside."

"Okay," Jett said, then shocked Sam by throwing his arms around her hips and hugging her tight.

Sam watched them walk out the door, hand in hand, and wondered when she had ever been this content. She had once told Jack she didn't really have any fantasies out the future.

She thought now that maybe she had lied. To live like this with Jack, openly. To watch him interacting with his son and to be part of them somehow, even on the periphery.

It was a tease really, a small taste of what they could have.

But for the moment, it was enough.

(0)

Hours later, Sam dragged herself out of the lake, exhausted. She had no idea how Jack was keeping up with the ball of perpetual energy that was his son. At the moment, Jett was jumping off the wooden dock into Jack's arms and screaming with laughter. Jack would catch him and then say, "Hold your breath!" and duck under the water with him for a few seconds. This was finished up with Jett swimming back to the dock and scrambling up the ladder only to do it again.

Jump, duck, swim, repeat.

Sam couldn't help but smile as she toweled off her hair and sat down on the blanket to watch them.

It lasted for a few more minutes before Jack called a halt.

"Awwww!" Jett wailed as Jack carried him back to the shore.

"You've got me all worn out, buddy," Jack complained.

"No you aren't!" Jett protested.

"Yes I am! Play in the sand for a while until I can catch my breath."

Jack walked, dripping and half-naked, over to join her on the blanket. He dropped onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes to block the sun.

"I am too old for this," he grumbled good-naturedly.

Sam leaned over him and put her lips close to his. "No you aren't. You're in the prime of life and I've never seen you look so handsome."

The kiss they shared went on a long slow journey from chaste to insistent to teasing, gentle to firm, laughing to groaning. They came up for air, breathless, rubbing noses, pressing foreheads in mute bliss.

Sam rolled away at last and laid on her back for a moment. Jack sat up beside her and Sam thought she might actually doze off for a little bit when Jack's frozen voice said,

"Where's Jett?"

Sam got to her feet in a bound, instantly on military high alert. Jett was no where in sight. Had he wandered off? _God, _the _lake…. _What if he had decided to go back into the water.

They called out in the same breath, in the same panicked voice,

"_Jett!"_

Jett's shiny dark head popped up from behind the boat nestled in the sand by the dock.

"What?" he cried, jumping to his feet and running across the beach as fast as his legs could carry him. They had scared him almost as much as he had scared them.

Sam's heart was pounding and she was still frozen with a kind of fear she had never experienced. Jack surged forward, met Jett half way and scooped him up in a fierce hug, eyes closed in grateful relief.

"What?" Jett asked again. He wriggled in the hold of Jack's powerful embrace. He knew Jack and Sam were both freaked out about something and it upset him.

"Nothing," Jack said, kissing his tousled curls and putting him back on his feet. "Just stay where we can see you."

"Okay," Jett said, uncertainly. He added quickly, with a series of quick nods. "I will. I promise."

Sam had reached them by that time. She knelt to hug Jett tight; then held him at arm's length and looked him over. He was fine but she needed to see that for herself. She needed to feel his warmth and the reassurance of his heartbeat.

As Jett ran off to play in the sand again, Sam took Jack's hand and squeezed tight.

He glanced briefly down at her before once again turning his attention to Jett, as if he couldn't look away from the boy for too long. The look on his face was still relieved but it was also haunted by his past again. He was shaking but he wasn't the only one.

All those years she had told him she understood what he had lost. All that time she had really believe that she understood. For one immeasurable instant in the peaceful sunshine of a beautiful afternoon she had experienced a fragment of Jack's private hell.

And she knew that she had never really understood at all.

(0)


	12. Chapter 12

It was possible that Jack had nightmares like everyone else. Certainly his past held enough horror for bad dreams to feed off of every night for the rest of his life. If there was a prime candidate for PTSD it was Jack O'Neill. But if he ever had them off world or on the multiple times that SG1 had crashed overnight at his place, Sam had never seen any indication. Jack had spent too much time sleeping in dangerous places and potential lethal circumstances. His Special Forces training and experience kept him deathly still and quiet when he slept. She had never seen him move or heard him make a sound.

So when Jack grunted sharply, thrashed and then bolted upright in the middle of the night, Sam sat up with him, instinctively reaching for a P90 that was light years away.

There was no light in the room except for the shafts of moonlight filtering through the wavy glass windows. Jack froze, getting his bearings and realizing where he was. He took a long shaky breath and raked his fingers through his hair, scratching at his scalp until his hair stood up in ragged spikes.

"Jack?"

"I'm all right."

Sam made a low dismissive sound and edged closer to him. "Well, not to argue but you're so _not_ all right."

"Just a dream."

"You want to tell me about it?"

"No."

"Okay."

Jack dug the heels of his hands into his eyes for a moment and Sam wondered if he was crying. She moved closer until she was sitting shoulder to shoulder, touching. She fitted her shape to his like a second shadow. She wasn't surprised. In her team, Teal'c used words only to speak the truth. Daniel used words to relentlessly find the truth. With steely determination, Jack used words to hide from the truth. The honesty that had been wrenched out of him the last few days was going to be all she got for a while.

Jack reached for her then. His hand ran down her back. His palm smooth over her spine, then back up until his arm was around her shoulders. He turned and buried his face against her neck and shoulders and sighed. Sam stroked a hand over his head and across his shoulders.

"It's all right. I'm here," she said.

"Good," Jack said.

(0)

He had woken very early the next morning and for a moment Sam feared another nightmare. But he was calm and…. Unusually affectionate, drawing her into a sleepy tangle of tight legs and sheltering arms.

Whatever had haunted him in the night seemed to fall away like their clothing, peeled away, discarded and forgotten in the soft gray light of pre-dawn. Then they were all over each, their bodies tangled up the way their lives had been for years, breathing hard and fast and making sounds that had no words.

When they had finally had too much of each other, Sam dozed again for a little while, safe and secure in his arms and in this place where who they were didn't matter at all.

She woke when he got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" she asked, "Is Jett awake?"

"No, we wore him out pretty good yesterday. I have to go up to see Ross for a while."

Sam nodded. Jack had really put that off as long as he could. Col. Ross had asked her several times when he could expect to see General O'Neill.

"Do you mind staying here with Jett? I'll try to get back as soon as I can," he asked.

"No, I don't mind," she smiled up at him, "I don't know a thing about kids, but I think I'm getting the hang of Jett. It's probably because he's so much like his father."

Jack gave her a misty smile and stroked the back of his hand across her cheek before leaning in for a kiss.

"Be safe," she said.

"Always," he answered.

(0)

The next time Sam woke up it was because Jett was climbing into bed with her and asking,

"Where's Jack?"

"He had to go up to the mines for a little bit. Are you hungry? Do you want some breakfast?"

Jett looked back at her, yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah."

Sam started to get up but Jett had crawled under the blanket with her and was snuggling down again. Sam settled back down and let him cuddle for a while. She was oddly moved by his actions, thrilled that she had so quickly become an acceptable substitute for Jack. Jett often started sentences with "Jack says….." Or "Daniel says…." Or "Teal'c showed me…." Now he just as often could be heard telling Jack "Sam says…."

She had become aware in the last day of how vulnerable and dependent he was. Jett had people who loved him and watched over him. But leaving him on Edora was going to be much harder than she had ever imagined.

"Sam?" Jett asked, suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever see people when you come through the Stone Ring?"

Sam came alert even though she didn't move a muscle. She could see the furrowed concentration on his small features. "People?"

"You know," Jett went on, "Like the Ancestors or….or like my mama?"

Sam kissed the top of his head while she swallowed the sudden ache in her throat.

"No, Jett. We never see anyone in the Stone Ring. The trip is so fast. It's like stepping from one room to another. If there are people we pass by too quickly to see them."

Jett tilted his face up to gaze at her with a combination of hope and sadness.

"Will you try to walk slow next time and look for her for me?"

"Oh, Jett," Sam said, stroking his silky soft hair and hugging him a little tighter, "There isn't anyone in the Stone Ring."

Tears filled his dark brown eyes. "Then where did the Ancestors go? Where did they take Mama?"

"No one is sure, Jett. But it must be a wonderful place because no one ever comes back," Sam offered the comfort while simultaneously putting thoughts of Daniel's double Ascension and subsequent return firmly to one side.

Jett was quiet for a long time. He reached for Sam's hand, held it and rubbed a little on the back of it with his small fingers.

"I miss her," he said, quietly, "Everyone tells me she was a great lady. Sometimes if I close my eyes I can still see her. I think I can. Sometimes."

"She loved you, Jett. Just remember that," Sam said, "and you will see her again."

"Okay," Jett said, uncertainly.

Sam's eyes stung with unshed tears. His vulnerability gave her the courage to share her own childhood pain.

"My mama died when I was little too," she offered, softly. The words were always hard to say out loud.

Jett was startled. "She did?"

"Yes."

"Did you cry?"

"Yes….. Sometimes I still do."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"So it's okay to still be sad, even when it happened a long time ago?"

Sam kissed the top of his head. "It's perfectly fine."

"Okay," Jett said, sounding oddly relieved. "Garan and Naytha love me. They take care of me."

"Yes, they do."

"And Jack loves me. So do Daniel and Teal'c. Someday they're going to take me through the Stone Ring to see your world. Right?"

"Yes," Sam said, "We'll all come get you and take you to see our world."

It had been easy to think about leaving Jett here when she and Jack went back to Earth. She knew he had been happy and well cared for all his life and there was no reason to uproot his life at the moment.

She still wanted to take him back with them, right now.

Four days ago she hadn't known he existed and now she wasn't sure how she was going to manage without him.

"But not now," Jett said, as if he understood, "I'm still too little and Daniel still has a bunch of stuff to show me."

"Well Daniel isn't the only one who can show you stuff, you know."

"No?"

"I can show you stuff too," Sam said, thinking about her laptop and what was on it that she could show him. He might like Paint or one of the games.

"Okay!" Jett already sounded happier and Sam wondered at his resiliency.

"Come on then. Let's get some breakfast," she said, getting up and laughing as he scrambled to the edge of the bed on all fours and then jumped off with gleeful abandon. "Jett! What did Jack say about jumping off the furniture!"

"Oh! Sorry," he said, "Can we have blueberry oatmeal?"

"You want to try it the way I like it?"

"How do you like it?" Jett asked, skipping into the main room ahead of her.

"With almonds."

"What are almonds?"

"Come on. I'll show you," Sam said.

(0)


	13. Chapter 13

Jack could hear the laughter before he actually saw Sam and Jett running around the cabin in a boisterous game of tag. As he approached, Sam came running around the corner with Jett in hot pursuit. Sam turned and ran backwards, laughing as she let him catch her and they both went tumbling to the ground.

Sunlight framed her hair in gold and shimmered on her skin. She was barefoot, in shorts and a tank top and so breathtaking it made his heart skip.

Jack's steps faltered and it had nothing to do with his bad knees. He couldn't stop watching them, watching _her_. She was the bright, determined _brilliant_ spirit that had refused to let his shattered heart remain in pieces. Brave, resourceful, beautiful, capable of breaking hearts and creating havoc all over the galaxy….. She was unique. She was incredible. He loved her; and he could hardly believe she was his.

That she also seemed to love his son was just a bonus.

She continued to wrestle around with Jett for a moment until Jett spied Jack, shouted his name and got up to come running towards him.

Jack scooped him up in a huge hug.

"Are you having fun?" he asked.

'Oh yes! Lots of fun and you were right! Sam knows _everything."_

"She does, huh?" Jack asked with a grin.

Sam had joined them at that point and Jack took her around the waist, drew her close and kissed her. It was a soft press to the corner of her mouth. He let her feel his absolute control though the movement seemed saturated with desire.

"You are amazing," he said.

Sam smiled, tossed her bangs out of her eyes and slipped her arm around his waist. She gazed up at him and the beauty of her blue eyes and the thick dark crescent of her lashes were like heaven to him.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Let's talk," Jack said, "Jett, come here."

Jett followed Jack and Sam to a big tree on the side of the house where they sat down in the shade. Jack dropped his pack and unzipped it, reaching in and pulling out a blank sheet of paper. Without a word he began folding it with precision and brow-furrowed concentration.

"What are you making?" Jett asked, leaning over his father's shoulder and watching curiously.

"You'll see," Jack answered, cryptically.

When he was finished Sam chuckled softly. In his hand was a perfectly folded paper jet fighter.

"Who showed you how to do that?"

A shadow crossed Jack's face. "A buddy of mine," he said and the tension vibrating in his voice made Sam shy away from further questions. Jack had been visited by enough ghosts from his past lately.

"What is it?" Jett asked, reaching for it but stopping just before touching it.

"It's a plane," Jack answered.

"_That's_ a plane?" Jett asked and there as clear disappointment on his young features.

"_God,_ Jack," Sam chided. "No, Jett, it's a model of what our planes look like. This is just paper. You can't really fly in it."

"Oh!" Jett's face brightened. "Is it a special kind of plane?"

"Yep," Jack said, "It's a jet."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Daniel said you named me after your favorite plane."

"He's right, but he almost always is."

"Can I have it?"

"Yep," Jack said, turning enough to hand it to him, "Go play. Stay where I can see you!"

Jett hugged Jack around his neck and then took the origami plane and ran off, tossing it happily in the air.

"It gets pretty good hang time," Sam noted.

Jack grunted in reply and then hollered, "Jett! I said to stay where I can see you!"

His son's voice floated back on the warm air. "Sorry!"

Sam smiled indulgently and leaned over to rest her head on Jack's shoulder.

"So what do we need to talk about?"

"We're going to have to leave tomorrow, by afternoon at least if we want to be back at the SGC in the morning."

"Why?"

"You saw the reports about the new deposits of naquadah."

She nodded.

"Washington is going to want to know about this asap. I can't put that off any longer."

"What about Jett?"

"What about Jett?" Jack repeated, "Look, Sam, I couldn't be more thrilled that you and Jett have hit it off. But he stays here, like always. I'm nowhere near ready to bring him back to Earth."

"I know," Sam said, but she sounded so unhappy Jack felt compelled to keep talking.

Aching with tenderness he smoothed a lock of blond hair behind her ear and said,

"If it makes you feel any better the person the most opposed to bringing him back now is Daniel. If anyone knows the importance of not uprooting a child from everything he knows it's Daniel."

"I know," she repeated.

"But?"

"I just don't know how you've managed to do this over and over for six years."

"I told you. It's not all that different from what I did before. I never knew how long I would be home. I could get back after six months and be called up again two days later. I do this by knowing Jett is safe here. This is what's best for him."

"And if it tears your heart all to pieces every time that's just part of it?"

"It's not about me, Sam. Listen, I want to bring him home with me every time. But I have to retire first so I can be there – not just for him but for you too now. I have to do something about these knees or he's going to be ten years old and pushing me around in a wheelchair…."

He stopped when Sam's eyes flared open with alarm. "I didn't know they were getting that bad."

Jack rubbed a palm over one his knees and said reluctantly, "Yeah, they're bad enough. Why do you think I really quit going off world? I wasn't going to pass the medical exam much longer anyway."

"Jack," Sam said softly. He hated sympathy but she couldn't help it. She linked her arms through his and inched a little closer. Jack put his hand over hers. Her fingers were long and tapered, capable, strong and wonderfully feminine.

"So," he said, trying to sound casual. "Is this tearing your heart all to pieces?"

She looked up in surprise and then changed her expression to chagrined amusement. "Well, it seems that I just can't resist an O'Neill," she admitted, "I know everything you said is true. Jett _is_ safer here. It's not like I should be all that eager to take him back to the land of terrorist attacks and drive-by shootings."

"There is that," Jack acknowledged. "Listen, if it makes you feel any better these new geological reports are going to mean a whole new series of talks with the Edorans. We don't have any mining rights in this area where the new veins have been detected. SG1 opened the original negotiations. There's no reason I can't assign you here this time. There's no reason I can't come along to make sure things get off to a smooth start."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Right, because we all know what a wonderful negotiator you are."

Jack gave a short, derisive snort. "Edora is different," he answered. "It just took me three months to get the hang of it. I think I can justify all of us coming back and I'm betting it will be soon. The Pentagon will want to move fast to secure these mining rights. Jett will be pretty happy. It will be the first time in his life he'll have all four of us visiting at the same time."

"That will make him happy," Sam agreed. "You want to risk coming back here with Teal'c and Daniel. It will be different with them here."

She leaned against Jack in a way that felt natural. He felt a sudden rush of warmth and possessiveness. Jett wasn't the only thing they were going to miss about Edora.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then let his mouth wander down to the corner of her eye and past her ear.

"They already know," he said, softly. He was still lingering by her ear and the words spiraled gently into her senses.

"What?" She seemed genuinely stunned. "Have they said something?"

"No," Jack said, "But I'd bet a month's hazardous duty pay that they do. Teal'c's not that oblivious and in spite of the glasses, Daniel's just not that blind.

For a little while they sat quietly in the shady grass under the tree and watched Jett chasing a paper airplane in the hazy afternoon.

"Jack!" Jett yelled, "It's up in the tree! It's in the tree, Jack! I can't reach!"

Jack groaned.

"You son put his plane in a tree," Sam said. Her eyes were dancing with mirth.

"Let's hope it's for the last time," Jack commented as he struggled to his feet.

"You could just make him another one," Sam suggested.

"Nah," Jack drawled, "He'll want that one."

"Can I climb up and get it?" Jett was at the base of the tree, hopping side to side on his feet like an excited parrot.

"Wait till I get there!"

Sam reached for Jack's hand, squeezed tight.

"He certainly is his father's son," she said.

"If that's true," Jack said, slowly, "It's no wonder he loves you so much."

(0)


	14. Chapter 14

The evening started calm and peaceful. Jett seemed to have picked up on the emotions of the adults in his life, who were fighting off a lingering sadness at the idea of leaving in the morning. They had told him it would be their last night on Edora , at least for a little bit.

Sam had gotten out her camera and taken pictures. This had fascinated Jett, especially when Sam told him she could get the pictures out of the little box and give him copies. He had not stopped pestering her to explain how she could do this for almost an hour. Jack had listened with some amusement to Sam doing her best to put it in terms Jett could understand. It was oddly reminiscent all the times she had tried to explain astrophysics to him. He knew Jett didn't understand a word she was saying.

And Jack should know. As Sam had pointed out Jett was his father's son.

Jack had calmed Jett finally by saying,

"Jett, Sam not only _knows_ everything, but she can _do_ everything too."

"Really?" Jett asked.

"Yep. Just trust her, even when you don't understand how she's going to do something. That's what I do."

Content that if Jack could trust Sam then he could too, Jett had subsided. Knowing that Jett's persistence might not allow him to let it go completely he had engaged his son by teaching him to play checkers. Sam took more pictures and when Jett had gotten the basics of checkers, he had climbed into her lap in the chair by the fire and asked her to read to him. Jack took some pictures of them.

The basket of books on the hearth was filled with classics from Earth and had Daniel's fingerprints all over it. Jett's current favorite however was Disney's Lion King. Sam had read it twice when Jett suddenly interrupted her.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

Jett twisted around so that he could look up at her.

"Who took care of you when your mama died?"

Sam looked at Jack in uncertainty and alarm. Jack lifted one shoulder and nodded once.

"Ummm, my father took care of my brother and me," she answered.

"Oh," Jett said. He settled back against her shoulder and started twisting a lock of his hair around his finger. Sam knew that gesture by now. It meant he was thinking.

"My brother takes care of me," he said, "and Naytha does."

"My brother is younger than me," Sam explained.

"So your father took care of him too?"

"Yes," Sam said, slowly.

There was a heavy silence in which Jett continued to twist his hair and Sam continued to stare pointedly at Jack.

_Tell him,_ she mouthed the words but Jack just stared back with no real answer in his eyes.

"I don't know what happened to my father," Jett said, finally, "Garan said they'll tell me when I'm old enough to understand. I think he died in the big fire rain."

"Jack," Sam said, and there was an entire conversation in the single word, a single plea in her deep blue eyes.

It took a moment to realize that Jack's silence wasn't being caused by a reluctance to speak but by a sudden inability to speak. He looked back a little desperately.

_Me? _Sam asked without sound. Jack nodded, looking relieved and scared at the same time.

Sam hesitated when she saw that. She had never seen Jack look scared. At least not before they had lost sight of Jett at the lake.

He'd meant it when he told her that losing either Jett or her would end him.

"Your father didn't die, Jett," she said, slowly.

Jett turned to look up at her again with innocent and confused dark eyes.

"He didn't?"

"No. In fact he never left you at all. He's always been there, watching out for you."

"Where is he then?"

Jack found his voice at last.

"He's right here, Jett. It's me."

Jett didn't move for a second and then he sat straight up.

"You?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

Jett slid down from Sam's lap so quickly she had to reach out and steady him as his feet hit the wooden floor. He ran over to Jack, who leaned over and hauled him into his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jett asked.

"In the beginning your mother didn't want me to. She didn't think you would understand why I couldn't stay here and live with you all the time."

"You have to do your work," Jett said, instantly, "That's what you always told me. You have to go through the Stone Ring and protect us."

"And I do," Jack said, "and that won't change. But what also won't change is that I will always come to see you and make sure you have everything you need. So will Daniel and Sam and Teal'c."

"Daniel went away for a long time," Jett said, "He got hurt going through the Stone Ring."

"I've never tried to tell you that it isn't dangerous to go through the Ring. Some of the worlds we visit are dangerous."

"Why do you go there?"

"To make the danger go away. To protect you."

Sam had been fighting tears but now she managed to speak.

"Your father doesn't really go through the Ring anymore, Jett. He has a big important office and he guards and guides the people who go through now."

"You're in charge?" Jett asked.

"Yes," Jack said.

"Daniel said what you do is very important and you said Daniel is always right about stuff."

"Well he is, usually."

"Jett," Sam said, "You father is the bravest man I've ever followed, through the Ring or anywhere else. He would never leave you if what he does didn't need to be done."

"You're brave too!" Jett said. "Do you still go through the Ring?"

"Yes."

"And Daniel and Teal'c too?"

"We all go together, most times anyway," Sam said.

"To keep each other safe?"

"Yes."

"Hey, Sam's a super hero, remember?" Jack interjected," Defeated an evil warlord all by herself."

Jett grinned at Sam. Then he wound small arms around Jack's neck.

"I wanted it to be you," he said, quietly, "I used to pretend it was you."

"You did?" Jack's voice was husky. He ruffled Jett's curls and kissed the top of his head.

"Uh-huh. Is that okay?"

"It sure is. In fact, it was true all along so it's more than okay."

"Will you read me another book?"

"Anything but Lion King," Jack answered.

Sam laughed a little and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. It seemed impossible that they had just revealed something so life altering to Jett and that he had accepted it without question and then bounced back with the enthusiasm of youth so quickly.

They read him two more books, bundled him into his pajamas and put him to bed. Sam and Jack stayed up a while longer.

Sam went to the table and opened her laptop and started working on downloading pictures. Jack watched her for a few minutes and then got up to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm almost done," she said.

"Thank you," Jack murmured almost in the same instant.

"For what?"

"All this, understanding, for having my back, standing by me. God Sam, for saving my life more times than I can count, for not giving up on me, ever. I'm not sure I would have had the strength to tell him without you."

Sam turned a little. "Why?"

"If he got mad at me, at least I would still have you." He spoke lightly, with a lopsided grin and a shrug in his tone. But Sam sensed that he meant it. Had he really been afraid that Jett would reject him in some way?

"You'll always have me," she said, and meant it. "But maybe it's good we told him now. It might have been harder for him to accept later, when he's older. But why didn't Laira want him to know?"

"I told you. She always thought I would leave at some point. After he was born I think she was afraid I would take him with me. I would never have taken him away from her but she loved him so completely that I can understand why she was scared."

Jack leaned over to kiss her just behind her ear and she tilted her head to encourage him.

"Come to bed with me," Jack pleaded, nuzzling her neck.

"I will," she promised, "I just want to…."

"Now," Jack said.

Sam squirmed in his grasp, laughing a little. "Let go."

"If I let go you'll go back to what you were doing."

"Oh god, Jack, look."

Sam drew his attention from suckling the join of her neck and shoulder to the image on the screen. It was a close up of Jett with a huge grin on his face.

"Awww," Jack said.

"He's just amazing isn't he?"

"I'm glad you think so," Jack said, going back to what he had been doing, "Now come to bed."

This time she didn't resist, lingering just long enough to shut down the equipment before letting him take her hand and pull her towards the room that had sheltered them for the last few days.

They made love slowly and with great care, thoroughly loved, thoroughly _known _and loved anyway.

Afterward, ignoring his groans and complaints, Sam forced him out of bed and onto his feet for the few seconds it would take to put on some pajamas. Jack fell asleep before his head hit the pillow again, sated, more relaxed than she had seen him in years.

Even here on Edora over the last few days.

Sam fell asleep in the circle of Jack's arms.

But at some point during the night Sam was woken up when Jett sought the big bed and snuggled down between them. Happiness spread through Sam as if the sun was shining straight from her soul. Content she put an arm over Jett and let her hand fall onto Jack's forearm. In moments she had fallen back to sleep.

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	15. Chapter 15

They walked Jarrett back to the home he shared with Garan and Naytha. They held hands and set a pace that was too slow for the energetic little boy. Jett skipped ahead and then ran back and chattered almost the entire time.

Sam thought she had gotten used to his questions and his blunt and often painfully honest comments about life in general. She hadn't gotten the least flustered when he had explained to her that he only had a kid-sized penis because he was just a kid. He had assured her that someday it would be much bigger, just like Jack's. When he had asked her how old she was and she had replied 36 she had managed not to laugh at his awed response: "Did you start at 1?"

He had also been quite firm in his belief that you couldn't hide vegetables in a glass of milk because Naytha would find them, _every_ time.

It was amusing however to watch Jack trying to squirm out from under some of his son's questions and comments. Jett seemed determined to ask everything he had forgotten to over the last few days, being unsure when he would see Jack again.

Marching at his father's side Jett had asked everything from how did the sky weigh – and was once again awed that Sam actually knew even if he didn't understand what 5 million billion metric tons was – to making Jack promise to bring new books the next time.

He subsided for a second and then asked, "How come you slept with Sam this time and not me? You don't sleep with Daniel."

Sam looked at Jack and arched an eyebrow, wondering how he was going to respond to this one.

"I'm not in love with Daniel," Jack answered, "I'm in love with Sam."

It was still odd to hear him say it out loud.

"Like Garan and Naytha? They sleep together."

"Yes, like that," Jack answered, "People who are in love like to sleep together."

"Naytha and Garan are trying to make a baby," Jett informed them, "They asked me if I wanted to be an uncle. What's an uncle?"

Jack looked infinitely relieved not to have to address the issue of how babies are made and launched into a quick explanation of what an uncle was, finishing with a breathless,

"Are you thirsty? Do you want something to drink?"

It distracted Jett enough from the conversation for him to forget about making babies. He linked drinking from the big canteen. They stopped for a moment to let him have some water and a granola bar.

"I saw what you did there," Sam commented.

Jack grinned in a happy goofy way that made her heart stop.

Jett's next question was whether or not he would ever learn to breathe underwater now that he knew how to swim like a fish. Jack let Sam field that one. While they were seated Jett snagged Jack's sunglasses and put them on for a minute.

"Hey Sam? Did you know you can't look through Daniel's glasses?"

"You can't?" Sam asked.

Jett seemed delighted that he knew something she didn't. He shook his head empathically. "No! But he says they help him see better!"

Before Sam could make a response to that, Jett asked, "How hard to I have to jump so I don't come down again?"

Sam stared for a moment and Jack gave a short, sharp burst of laughter.

"Did he just ask me….?" Sam began.

"What his escape velocity is?" Jack finished. He was still grinning, "Yes he did."

"_God_, he is soooooo your son," Sam drawled.

"Jett, run up the trail and pick those wildflowers for Sam."

"Okay," Jett said, and happily skipped ahead.

"So?" Jack asked.

"So what?"

"How hard would he have to jump?"

Sam laughed. "Okay, how much does he weigh?"

"About 40 lbs."

Sam gazed inwardly for a moment and then said, "Let's say he can compress point 3 meters down and then full extends himself. So time to jump off equals distance over (average velocity) equals point 3 over (1/2 times 11.2 km/sec times 1000 meters/km) equals 5.4 times 10-5 seconds equals point 000054 seconds. So if we substitute this time in the previous expression: Power equals Work over Time equals (1/2 Mass * Velocity2 ) over (.000054 seconds)equals (1/2 * 30 kg * (11.2 km/s * 1000 m/km)2 ) over (.000054 seconds) equals 3.5 times 1013 watts equals 4.7 times 1010 horsepower. So, your son has to jump with 3800 3.5 times 1013 watts of power. To put that in perspective, that's 47 billion horsepower."

Jack stared at her for a long moment, seeking the part of her run sentence that he was most likely to understand.

"So he has to jump with 47 billion horsepower?"

"At least."

"I think we're safe," Jack said.

"You should tell him it's impossible, just to be safer," Sam suggested.

Up ahead, Jett had climbed up on a big rock and jumped off with gleeful abandon.

"You're probably right,' Jack said, slowly.

Sam smiled at him, reached over and linked her fingers with his, tight, palms pressed, wrists touching.

Jack lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"You really do know everything," he said.

Sam's smile just got wider.

(0)

It was nearly high noon when they arrived back at the house. Jett went charging ahead yelling for Garan and Naytha at the top of his lungs. They came outside not looking the least concerned, faces split into smiles of joy at seeing him. Apparently Jett screaming for them wasn't all that unusual.

Jett hugged them both with unrestrained joy. Garan scooped him up in his arms.

"Garan, guess what! Guess what!"

"What?"

"Jack is my _father!"_ Jett's eyes were wide and round, anxiously waiting for Garan's reaction.

The young man looked startled for a moment, glancing first at Jack – who nodded.

"We didn't plan it, but he started asking questions," Jack explained.

"If he's old enough to ask he's old enough to have the truth," Garan answered, with a flash of wisdom reminiscent of his mother and far more than he should have for his age. "Are you happy about that, Jarrett?"

Jett nodded quickly. "Yes!" He said. "But he still needs to go through the Stone Ring and protect us so I can't go with him yet."

Garan hugged him again. Then Jett wriggled so that Garan would put him down and he ran to Jack. Lifting his arms he demanded to be picked up.

He put his small hands on either side of Jack's face and said, "You're coming back to see me again really soon?"

"I told you that I am going to try. I never know what is going to happen for sure, but I should be able to get back before the moon turns full again. Okay?"

"Okay," Jett said and planted a hard kiss on Jack's cheek. "You bring Sam?"

"And Daniel and Teal'c if it all works out the way I plan."

"And Sam will bring the pictures out of the little box?"

He looked over at her with hopeful eyes.

"Absolutely," Sam promised.

She stepped forward so that she and Jack could give him a mutual hug, kissed his cheek and ruffled the mass of dark curls again. When Jack set him down and pushed him back towards Garan and Naytha there were tears in her eyes.

They hugged Naytha and Garan. Garan renewed his promise to take care of Jarrett and told them they would always be welcome on Edora.

Jack and Sam turned away. Jett was standing safely between his guardians, holding their hands. It was the image Sam kept firmly in her mind for the long walk back to the Stargate.

Jack didn't let go of her hand, even when she was dialing the Gate, even as the chevrons turned and locked.

Even as the wormhole erupted and settled down and they walked up the steps to it. They paused at the event horizon and looked into each other's eyes for a long, frozen moment.

Then Jack squeezed her hand one more time before letting go.

General Jack O'Neill and Colonel Samantha Carter stepped through the Stargate.

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	16. Chapter 16

Sam's first stop was the showers; then her office to catch up on mail and phone ++++++++++++++messages and touch base with the science staff. Several hours later she was taking the long elevator ride to the top, where she was delighted to find out that her car started right away. Then she drove home.

She aired the house and checked the refrigerator and then changed into jeans and a tank top. She was standing once again staring into the fridge when the doorbell rang.

It was a delivery man with a long white box tied with a blue ribbon. She signed for it, ran for her purse to get him a tip and then brought it inside.

Inside she found a huge spray of wildflowers in every imaginable color. The card read,

'_Consider these a down payment on the next time I royally screw up. Love, J_.'

Sam smiled and then laughed and shook her head. Then she went to find a vase.

Just after dark there was a soft tapping on her sliding glass door – the Morse code for SG1.

She switched off the light and went to let Jack in. A moment after that she was in his arms.

A moment after that they were in her bed.

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_**A week later…..**_

Gathering in Daniel's office was something they did, like gathering at Jack's house. It just happened, naturally. Teal'c was in the chair at the desk. Sam and Daniel were perched on the stools at the worktable.

"I'm glad Jack finally told him," Daniel said.

"Indeed," Teal'c answered, "I was never certain why the boy had never been told in the first place."

"Jack told me Laira didn't want him to know and he respected her wishes," Sam answered.

Daniel grunted and looked displeased but said, "That sounds like him."

"You would have argued with her," Sam said, knowingly.

"Of course," he replied, as if it were obvious. "But I guess I'm mostly glad he finally told _you_."

"It has been difficult," Teal'c said.

"But he asked you not to tell me and Teal'c," Sam pointed out, "and you didn't."

"That doesn't mean I didn't argue with him," Daniel answered.

"You _always_ argue with Jack," Sam said.

At that moment, Jack appeared in the doorway.

"You guys ready to go?" he asked.

Daniel looked at his watch. "We're not due for 25 minutes," he said.

"I didn't ask that. I asked if you were ready," Jack said.

They instantly all came to their feet. "Yeah, we're ready," Daniel answered, reaching for his pack.

This was, after all, General Jack O'Neill. The Gate opened when he said it did, regardless of schedule. Shrugging into their gear they followed him to the Gate Room.

"Daniel, do you have those new books Jett asked for?"

"Yep."

"Sam, did you remember the pictures?"

"I did."

"Sounds like we have everything then."

They filed into the Gate Room and it felt _right._ It felt the way it should be, the four of them together waiting for the wormhole to whisk them away.

"We're leaving early, Walter!" He hollered up to the Control Room. "Dial it up!"

"Yes, sir!"

On cue the chevrons began to spin, locking onto Edora's address.

When they stepped through, Daniel and Teal'c were on point with Jack and Sam on their six. Daniel jogged easily down the steps on the other side with Teal'c just behind him.

Daniel stopped when he realized that Jack and Sam has paused just in front of the Gate and were still standing there when it shut down. After the familiar snap in the air there was a long silence in which Jack and Sam just stood there and looked at each other.

"Guys?" Daniel said.

They didn't look at him. Instead Jack very slowly reached out. His hand hovered in the air, waiting for her to take it. Sam's eyes widened and then narrowed. Then as if she had come to the same decision a moment after Jack, she reached back and linked her fingers with his.

Jack smiled, used the grip on her hand to pull her closer. He lifted her hand briefly to his lips, kissed it and then they turned as one to face Daniel and Teal'c.

"It's about damned time," Daniel muttered, shaking his head at them.

"Indeed," Teal'c said in classic understatement. He inclined his head with regal grace.

Holding hands, Jack and Sam came down the steps to join them.

"So," Daniel said, in a mock conversational tone, "Is this it then? Anyone else have any secrets, surprises, hidden agendas they want to share?"

Jack looked from one face to the other. Daniel who had single handedly restored his will to live. Teal'c who had given him back the strength to fight. Sam who had given him the courage to love again.

He couldn't believe he had ever doubted any of them, even for a moment.

"No," he said, to Daniel, matching his conversational tone, "I think this is pretty much it for me. Teal'c?"

"I have nothing to share, O'Neill," he responded.

"Sam?" Jack asked.

"No, no," Sam answered, squeezing his hand and grinning at him in love struck amazement, "This was pretty much it for me."

"Daniel?"

"I got nothin'," Daniel answered.

Jack looked at them all again.

"So we're all good then?"

He got a chorus of nods and affirmative replies. When he started forward they fell into lock step with him as if he had never stopped going off world with them. Together, SG1 walked into whatever the future now held for them.

_FINIS_

A/N Fortunate Son was a story that demanded to be written for about six months. I kept trying to ignore it, because I wasn't sure what the fan reaction to Jack having a child with Laira was going to be positive.

But the Muse simply wouldn't leave me alone, so here it is. I will probably revisit this at some time in the future. Whether this fits into the 'Sunshine and Shadow/Moonlight and Steel 'Verse' that I usually write, I actually don't know at the time of this posting.

I'd like to thank everyone who wrote to me and took the time to review. I actually had no intention of having Jack tell Jett he was his father. This was done because I got so many requests about it. So thank you again for the feedback! It never hurts to ask for what you want. The Muse can be flexible it seems.

Jett was based mostly on Jack and partly on two of the children in my preschool program, either one of whom could be Jack O'Neill's child. I am hoping to someday get one of them to quit jumping off the playground equipment in a wild attempt to fly.

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